Criminal Defense
Voter fraud in New York
Voter fraud is a form of illegal interference with the electoral process. It comes in a variety of forms, including: Impersonating a registered voter Intimidating someone into voting as directed Fraudulent voter registrations Bribing voters and election officials to produce the desired result Destroying ballots that have already been cast Equally varied are the New…
Read MoreNew York City, stop and frisk, and crime
The interpretation of crime statistics in New York City can depend largely on the viewpoint taken regarding tactics and politics. For this reason, a recent story from the New York Daily News has to be considered with some context in order for it to make sense. A front page story, published June 5, 2015, states,…
Read MoreWhat to do if you are facing criminal scam charges
Scams are relatively common across the country these days, especially as the reliance on technology and the Internet has increased. In fact, the capture of personal data using electronic methods has impacted dozens of people over the course of the past year alone. Scams can range from minor to serious, with criminal charges a strong…
Read MoreFalse Claims Act
Also known as the “Lincoln Law,” the False Claims Act is a federal law that penalizes those who defraud government programs. In addition to providing up to treble damages in a pro-plaintiff verdict, the Act delivers upwards of up to 30% of recoveries. It has been described as the single most important resource American taxpayers…
Read MoreHow serious is a forgery charge?
Although forgery is considered under the umbrella of fraud charges, many people are under the impression that it is a minor charge and not really anything to worry about. Having this perception can be a big mistake. Any person who knowingly possesses or creates a forged document or instrument that confers either liability or value…
Read MoreFederal drug crimes v. state drug crimes
Most drug arrests in New York State are carried out by local law enforcement, but under certain circumstances, a drug crime can become a federal matter. These circumstances include: The accused person had a large enough quantity of drugs in their possession to be charged with trafficking A federal officer makes the arrest The offense…
Read MoreOfficials push for “Blue Lives Matter” laws
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and New Jersey State Senator Joseph Kyrillos (R-Middletown, NJ) both want to classify police slayings as hate crimes. Sen. Kyrillos’s proposal would elevate simple assault to aggravated assault if defendants target police officers simply because of their occupation. Other laws already offer similar protections “based on race, on religion, on…
Read MoreHow does jury selection work?
The U.S. Constitution guarantees a defendant the right to trial by jury in both civil and criminal proceedings. In New York State, a jury pool is drawn from the following resources: Registered voter lists Names on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles Income tax filers Unemployment or family assistance recipients Volunteers Criminal felony trials…
Read MoreDistracted driving
We rely on our cell phones for several reasons: to communicate with friends and family, go shopping, get directions and even snap a selfie for posterity. It has gotten to the point where we reach for the phone automatically whenever it rings, or a text message alert comes through, even when the safety of doing…
Read MoreDifferent types of warrants in New York
Many people are confused over the difference between arrest warrants and bench warrants. Some think they are the same thing. Not quite. Both can result in the police taking you into legal custody but there the similarity ends. They are issued under different conditions, and the implications are not always the same. Arrest warrants An…
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