Criminal Defense
Federal 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…
Read MoreInfographic: Homicide Rates on the Rise
Homicides Create your own infographics
Read MoreThe Miranda warnings turn fifty
”You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense.”…
Read MoreDon’t make decisions too quickly in the aftermath of a DUI arrest
When you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence or any other kind of criminal charges in New York, it can be tempting to want to cooperate with law enforcement in the hopes of a quick resolution to your dilemma. The arresting officers speaking with you immediately after your arrest are counting on your vulnerability.…
Read MoreMock burglaries produce patterns among ex-burglars and non-burglars alike
A study published by researchers from the University of Portsmouth, UK and the University of Sussex, UK in 2014 studied the behaviors of ex-burglars and postgraduate students who had never participated in a burglary. This study was particularly significant because it used a real house and a house simulated on a laptop unlike prior studies,…
Read MoreTelephone fraud
Telephone fraud, also known as telemarketing fraud, covers a wide range of crimes. The common goal of such fraud is to deceive the victim into parting with money or valuable personal information, such as bank accounts and credit card numbers. Commonly reported phone scams include: Pyramid schemes: Victims are persuaded to buy into a business…
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