Category Archives: Criminal Defense
“Defending Yourself In The Dark”: New York Continues To Face Issues With Unfair Discovery Laws
We’ve previously discussed the issue of a huge problem that New York faces in its criminal justice system before; this issue of prosecutors withholding evidence until the last minute, and how this not only violates defendants’ rights to a fair trial, but actually contributes to the number of wrongful convictions every year. For years,… Read More »
A Closer Look At The Insanity Defense
In the wake of last month’s deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, the issue of to what extent the insanity defense should be used in the courtroom as a criminal defense has been the subject of a nationwide debate. In order for a defendant to rely on the insanity defense, the… Read More »
Yale Rape Verdict Shows Differing Standards For Consent In Criminal Courtrooms Versus Campus Panels
The trial against the Yale student accused of rape has been in the headlines of late, especially when the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on March 7th, after less than three hours of deliberations. The message received from the trial was loud and clear: prosecuting sex crimes in a court of law… Read More »
Neuroscience Gains Increasingly Important Role In Criminal Defense
According to this recent piece featured in Scientific American, neuroscience is playing a larger and larger role in criminal defense cases every day. Specifically, criminal defense strategies are including behavioral tests, brain scans, and psychological evaluations more and more in an effort to mitigate potential punishments for criminal defendants. As scientific methods to measure… Read More »
New Jersey’s Liquor Laws Generate Significant Confusion
New Jersey’s liquor laws have long been the source of much confusion: While one law limits towns to one liquor license per 3,000 people, another limits markets and other companies to two retail licenses only. While some towns often have their own regulations regarding whether or not liquor can be sold on Sundays, others… Read More »
Will New York Add Another Anti-Smoking Law To The Books?
On March 21st, a bill making it illegal to smoke while walking in New York City was introduced into the New York legislature. While smoking is already banned in a number of public spaces in New York City, the proposed legislation would impose a $50 fine on anyone caught smoking and walking on city… Read More »
New York’s Marijuana Arrest Statistics Shock Many And Reveal Room For Progress
As we previously discussed, in January, Governor Cuomo ordered a study to be conducted on the recreational use of marijuana via the New York State Department of Health. That study has since been released, and has shocked a number of New Yorkers. The arrest statistics alone are alarming: There have been close to 900,000… Read More »
Criminal Indictments Served On New York Towing Companies
On February 21st, New York district attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. issued four indictments charging at least 17 people and 19 companies in New York with conspiracy and corruption with respect to illegally controlling the list that police officers rely on to call towing companies in response to vehicle collisions. Specifically, Vance called it… Read More »
Spring 2018 New Jersey Legal Update
Below, we discuss some important legal updates that have recently happened, or are coming this spring, for the state of New Jersey: Huge Drop in New Jersey’s Jail Population; Thanks To Bail-Reform According to a recently released report, New Jersey’s cash-bail reforms have successfully improved criminal justice in the state of New Jersey, decreasing… Read More »
New Jersey Moves To Criminalize Certain Activities Involving Guns
In the wake of the Florida school shooting tragedy, some New Jersey lawmakers are advancing measures to tighten state already-strict gun laws, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has indicated that he (at least conceptually) embraces the move. The proposed bills would criminalize certain types of activities both for businesses that sell guns and… Read More »
