Consent to Search Your Vehicle – You Don’t Have to Give Consent if Asked
In many traffic stops, the police will ask motorists if they can search the car, open the trunk, or to take other actions to see what is in the car. Often, they will ask innocuous questions like “you don’t have a…
Possessing a Firearm or Other Weapon in the Course of Committing a Drug Offense
Throughout the years, the New Jersey Legislature has shown very little tolerance for those charged with possessing a firearm or other weapons while in the course of committing certain drug offenses. Any person who has in his possession any firearm…
Am I Allowed to Carry a Weapon?
To answer this question, you first have to narrow your definition of “weapon.” There are laws regarding carrying a concealed handgun, which require carriers to have licenses for such a weapon, but it is not always legal to carry any…
Pre-Trial Disposition
Let’s say that your case is headed to trial. As your New Jersey criminal defense attorney, you and I have been in constant communication about what the best course of action is. We have considered your defense. We have examined…
What is a Plea Bargain?
Rather than going to trial, your case may end with what is known as a plea bargain. A plea bargain is an agreement between a defendant and the prosecution. As the defendant, you might be able to plead guilty to…
Options for Reducing Your Sentence
Many crimes come with tough sentences for those convicted. In these situations, the defendant may want to work with the prosecutor to lessen the punishment for his or her charges. However, this can be a difficult process without the help…
What are Diversion Programs?
If a person is facing tough sentencing due to criminal charges, there may be an opportunity to ask for admission in a diversion program instead of a trial. Diversion programs exist as a second choice for some defendants to accept…
What Should You Know about Bail?
When a person is arrested, their first thought is usually on how to get out of jail. In criminal cases, the court may set bail that a person arrested needs to pay in order to be able to leave before…
What You Should Know about False Confessions
According to a study produced by the Innocence Project, a multinational legal non-profit group, up to one quarter of all people falsely convicted and eventually exonerated of a crime had originally confessed to committing the crime. False confessions are clearly…
When Does the 4th Amendment No Longer Protect You?
The 4th Amendment of the US Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures of property that may incriminate a person. Police must first go through the courts to obtain a warrant before they can rifle through a person’s private…
