The Harsh Reality of the NYC Criminal Justice System

Thanks to the principles laid out in The Sixth Amendment, New York’s criminal justice system is, in theory, one of the fairest and just in the world. The trouble is, theory means very little when an otherwise good system gets tangled in a mix of inequality, bureaucracy, and funding issues. In this blog, we’ll take…

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When words can be criminal: Harassment defense in New York

harassing swear words

Most of us know someone who annoys or bothers us. Sometimes they are a former romantic partner, other times they can be a family member, ex-friend, or one-time colleague. On occasion it’s a party we have no personal or professional association with. What can we do about someone like this?  As long as their actions…

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Probation in New York: How it works

criminal court and jail

Probation is a disposition or sentence imposed by a New York criminal court, whereby you are released without serving any time in jail, although in some circumstances you could be sentenced to both imprisonment and probation. The term is sometimes confused with parole, which is when you serve part of your sentence in the community…

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Tax crimes in New York

taxes

Last April, a British lawyer was found guilty of a massive tax fraud scheme. Michael Little, who was licensed to practice law in New York, was accused of helping the family of a U.S. investor conceal millions of dollars from the IRS by depositing it in Swiss bank accounts. He now faces up to five…

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You were arrested for what?

question marks

Did you know that in New York, if a police officer catches you flirting, you can be fined $25? If this antiquated law were enforced, then most of the city would be in danger. It’s been on the books for over 100 years and probably dates back to January 1902, when state Assemblyman Francis G. Landon…

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What is a 440 motion?

repeat retrial concept

We’ve all watched courtroom dramas with riveting trial scenes. The most memorable are those in which the defendant is found guilty of a crime he did not commit. We sympathize with his feelings of shock and dread as he contemplates a lengthy prison sentence. It’s a grim situation that occurs in real life. Even if…

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Live-streaming crimes

live stream

These days, social media documents practically everything we do, from birthday parties to vacations and weddings. Now it appears that people are using Facebook, Periscope, and other Internet platforms to live stream their crimes. In April of 2016, 18-year-old Marina Lonina and 29-year-old Raymond Gates, both residents of Ohio, were arrested after Gates raped Lonina’s…

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Graffiti: Art that gets you arrested

graffiti

In New York, graffiti is practically part of the local landscape. Everywhere you go, you see bright lettering, splashes of color, and even large murals displaying some personal, social, or political messages on the side of a building and on or around bridges and overpasses. Although graffiti makers and their supporters proclaim its artistic value,…

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Is DNA evidence always foolproof?

DNA strand

DNA made its first appearance in the mid-1980s, but it wasn’t until 1987 that it became an integral part of the U.S. criminal justice system. On February 5 of that year, an Orange County, Florida jury convicted serial rapist Tommy Lee Andrews after tests matched his DNA to a semen sample taken from one of…

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