Category | Criminal defense
Tips for interacting with police officers during a traffic stop
Being pulled over by police officers can invoke fear in any driver. One of the most important things to remember is that you should remain calm during the traffic stop. It’s possible that anxiety or agitation will be misinterpreted. You should also be respectful and polite when you’re interacting with...
Can expungement completely erase a criminal record?
Individuals with prior criminal convictions may find it hard to find employment, housing and other opportunities. But if one is eligible for expungement, rebuilding their life might be a lot easier in every aspect. Does that mean that they can literally start anew with a clean slate? Starting with a...
Types of cyber crime and defenses if caught
Almost 5 million cybercrimes occur in the United States annually. Over 50% of internet users have had their accounts compromised. Worldwide, there is an average of 97 data breaches hourly. Cybercrimes can be divided into three large categories. Property cybercrimes Property cybercrimes include DDOS attacks, hacking, virus transmission, cyber and...
Federal sentencing guidelines, what you should know
The federal sentencing guidelines are a set of rules that define the punishments for specific crimes in New Jersey and the rest of the United States. These guidelines can be found in the United States Code, Title 18 and are used to determine what sentence a person should receive if...
What pleas could you make in a criminal case in New Jersey?
Guilty and not guilty are the types of pleas that everyone knows, but there are a few other options that you might not know of. New Jersey has conditional pleas and allows for withdrawal of a plea. Guilty You could plead guilty during your initial hearing before your trial. However,...
Plea deals may lead to wrongful convictions
Plea deals provide a seemingly valuable benefit to those looking at a difficult trial. Plea arrangement may result in a defendant receiving a far lighter sentence in a New Jersey criminal court. Tragically, not everyone who agrees to a plea bargain is guilty of the crime. Wrongful convictions resulting from...
What you need to know about New Jersey’s self-defense law
Often, a defendant will claim that they had to resort to violence in response to a legitimate threat of injury from another person. Additionally, a defendant may claim that they rushed to the defense of another person. Furthermore, perhaps someone trespassed on their property, and the owner believed it was...
Rights when it comes to seized property in New Jersey
When any law enforcement agency in New Jersey legally seizes your property as evidence for a suspected crime, they should give it back to you the way they took it after the case is over. However, there are situations where the government can refuse to give you your property back....
When can you challenge the validity of a search?
Once police gain access to your home or your vehicle, whatever they find could help them build a criminal case against you. The more evidence they have, the harder it may be for you to successfully defend yourself against pending criminal charges. Challenging the evidence itself can sometimes be a...
Why do prosecutors offer plea deals (and should you take one)?
If you were to go off what you see depicted on television, you’d assume that most criminal cases ended up going to trial. That’s far from the reality, though. Statistics show that about 90% of all criminal cases end with a plea deal. There are various reasons why prosecutors might...
Dubious psychological tests presented in court
When people in New Jersey face criminal charges, they may come up against even more problems in the courtroom. According to researchers, many of the psychological, IQ and other evaluation tests taken into account by courts may have little scientific basis, if any. These tests can have an influence on...
How confident are you when talking to the police?
When you come in contact with the police, do you feel confident that you know how to handle yourself? Whether it’s a traffic stop or an officer at the door, you want to know how to talk to them. First and foremost, remember that you often have a right to...
After man’s suicide, woman charged with manslaughter
A man from New Jersey passed away by suicide on the very day he was supposed to be graduating from Boston College. Now his girlfriend has been accused of manslaughter and linked to the death. According to reports, the young woman was allegedly very controlling, and she was “physically, verbally...
Younger teens face pressure to break the law
Has your child gotten arrested for breaking the law? Common crimes that young kids commit include shoplifting, drinking, using drugs and, when they’re old enough to drive, breaking the speed limit. No matter what your child has been accused of doing, though, you may find yourself wondering why they would...