On Wednesday, Nov. 25, as families prepared to take a brief respite for Thanksgiving, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced that prosecutors would take a respite from prosecuting low-level marijuana possession charges. Grewal asked that prosecutors at the state and local levels put all such cases on hold until further notice. For more seriousRead More
Criminal Defense
What Needs to Happen Now that NJ Has Voted to Legalize Marijuana?
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, voters in New Jersey chose to approve a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana possession and sale. But revising the criminal code for drug charges is only the beginning. There are many questions left unanswered by the simple ballot measure, including what happens to those with marijuana-related offenses on their criminal record. Read More
Do I Qualify for a Public Defender?
The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees every criminal defendant the right to be represented by an attorney. However, it wasn’t until the Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963 that criminal defendants unable to afford a lawyer were granted the right to free legal representation. How does one qualify for aRead More
Florida Judge Allows Police to Search DNA Websites
More than 20 million people have uploaded DNA information to consumer websites such as Ancestry.com and 23andMe under the belief that these sites would keep the information private. However, police in Florida announced that they had been granted a warrant to search a DNA site for evidence related to an ongoing investigation, potentially setting aRead More
New Training Offers Prosecutors Ways Around New Bail Laws
New York State recently passed a series of powerful new laws reforming the bail and discovery process. Many district attorneys were dismayed at the rules, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Critics, which include many police departments and DAs, argue the rules make it harder to bring suspects to justice. But a series of presentationsRead More
Sweeping Bail and Discovery Reform to Take Effect in NY Next Year
New York State lawmakers have passed a long-fought-for set of reforms to the criminal justice system. The sweeping package of laws, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2020, changes the courts’ system of bail and discovery and is part of an effort to ensure speedier and fairer trials. The changes include: The number of offensesRead More
NJ to Allow Use of Medical Marijuana for PTSD
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs has proposed a rule change that would allow medical marijuana to be used for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The new rule is in response to a bill signed in September by Governor Chris Christie that added PTSD to the list of conditions thatRead More
Beyond Cyberbullying: Other Charges You Could Face for Online Harassment
It’s okay if you get into the occasional flame war on Twitter or Reddit. However, if you let your passions get the better of you, you run the risk of getting charged with cyberbullying. New Jersey defines cyberbullying (sometimes called cyber harassment) as any online communication that intentionally harasses or threatens another person. Cyberbullying isRead More
Can You Get Arrested for Stealing Office Supplies?
Plenty of us do it – one study even found that one in 10 U.S. workers doesn’t see it as wrong. After all, what does a roll of Scotch tape, some pens, and a stack of Post-It note pads really cost your company? It seems like a victimless crime; can you really get arrested forRead More
Feigning Credit Card Fraud is Credit Card Fraud
Nobody likes paying bills. If your credit card bill seems higher than expected and you find a fraudulent charge, rest assured you can call the credit card company and dispute it. Federal law ensures that credit card companies will side with you unless there is evidence that the charge was in fact legitimate. What wouldRead More