Blog: Criminal Law

Drug possession charges on their own can be life-changing. When you factor in an intention to sell or distribute drugs, it can lead to even more severe consequences. If you’re dealing with potential criminal drug possession charges with intent to sell, it’s imperative that you reach out to a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. What Does Drug Possession with Intent to Sell Mean? Drug possession with intent to sell, or crimes under N.J.S.A...

Halloween is one of the most common times of the year for crime. You might be surprised to learn some of the statistics related to this crime increase. Here are some of the most surprising facts about Halloween crime spikes: Of the number of car accident fatalities on Halloween night, 40% are due to drinking and driving, according to the NHTSA. Property crime is the most common crime committed on Halloween,...

As a parent, you often worry about the safety and wellbeing of your child. It can be especially scary when you receive a phone call that your teen has been arrested. For the first time, you may no longer have control over the consequences that your child receives. It’s common and likely that you will have a lot of questions. Here are a few of the most common questions about juvenile crimes in New Jersey: What...

New Jersey is one of the strictest states when it comes to weapons charges. If you are dealing with potential weapons charges, whether it is a disorderly persons offense or a first-degree crime, you need an experienced lawyer to build your defense. The sooner that you reach out to a lawyer, the more options you may have. Continue reading to find out what the penalty for a weapons charge in New Jersey is. Types...

Because possession of marijuana is no longer a crime, a police officers’ ability to stop, search, or detain you based on the smell of raw or burnt marijuana has been eliminated. If you are a pedestrian, a police officer may not stop you, request to search you, or even detain you based on the odor of burnt or raw marijuana. In addition, the odor of marijuana by itself does not establish probable cause to conduct...

The Attorney General has issued guidelines related to the new law in New Jersey which has legalized marijuana. The first instruction to all prosecutors is that any pending charge of distribution of marijuana or hashish be dismissed. If you have any of the above charges currently pending against you, they will be dismissed. The Attorney General’s Directive also addresses cases which had been previously resolved. For all of the same criminal charges...

The New Jersey Appellate Division recently decided in State v. Simms that a defendant who was arrested by the police in a murder case should have been informed of the precise charge he was facing in order to properly waive his Miranda rights. The arrest was based on the police officer’s determination of probable cause to believe the defendant committed a murder. What this means is that once arrested, the police must tell a person...

A new expungement reform law (P.L. 2019, c.269), signed into law on December 18, 2019, takes effect today. Perhaps most importantly, the new law extends eligibility to many who previously were not eligible. Previously, an expungement applicant generally would be ineligible if convicted of distribution and possession with intent to distribute involving marijuana where the quantity was over 25 grams, or involving hashish where the quantity was over 5 grams; or for distributing or possession...

The state of New Jersey has been one of the strictest in terms of its stay at home orders during the global pandemic. Individuals who do not follow these orders will risk criminal charges, ranging from a warning to required jail time. Understanding New Jersey’s Stay-At-Home Rules New Jersey officers all over the state have been instructed to regulate the state’s stay-at-home orders. Some cities, like Newark, even have their own police task force to...

Any person in County Jail as a result of a condition of probation for an indictable offense or because of a municipal court conviction will be released no later than Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 6:00pm. For those serving a sentence of 364 days or less as a condition of their probation they shall have to serve the remainder of their sentence at the end of probation of seek to have the court changed the...