Recent Blog Posts
U.S. Supreme Court Places Limits on Seizing Property Supposedly Used In the Commission of a Crime
On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark ruling limiting police powers to seize private property in the practice known as civil forfeiture. Civil forfeiture has historically been used by state law enforcement to seize any and all property—cash, cars, homes, etc.—that they deem could have been used in the commission of… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Expresses Interest in Addressing New Jersey Laws Criminalizing Certain Gun Activities
Last year, New Jersey took a number of measures to implement some of the nation’s strictest gun control laws, criminalizing a broad array of activities involving guns, such as making it illegal for residents to have a carry permit unless they first demonstrated a “justifiable need”; amongst other activities. Now, a number of gun… Read More »
As Religious Attacks Increase In New York, More and More Are Considered Hate Crimes
The act of a New York synagogue being vandalized on February 16 is officially being investigated by the NYPD Hate Crimes Division as a hate crime. According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, violence committed against Jewish groups is on the rise throughout the state, and there have been close to 50 of these crimes… Read More »
As New Jersey Gets Close To Legalizing Marijuana, Let’s Look At What Expungement Involves
We’ve discussed the potential legalization of marijuana in New Jersey before, and the state may, at last, be very close to legalizing it, however, the governor has also promised to expunge previous marijuana-related convictions. Still, that process may be easier said than done; as New Jersey’s expungement process is incredibly complex. There is no… Read More »
New Jersey Moves Closer To Decriminalizing Medically Assisted Suicide
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering decriminalizing euthanasia for terminally ill patients. While similar legislation has previously been proposed and previously stalled in the Senate, in February, a Senate committee voted to approve this latest “medically assisted suicide bill” and many now expect it to pass in the full chamber. While a number of… Read More »
Are CBD Edibles Illegal In New York?
Where the line between legal and illegal is when it comes to Cannabidiol (CBD) edibles has come under strict scrutiny here in New York, as officials with the city’s Department of Health have recently started cracking down and dropping in on CBD businesses, confiscating products and prohibiting them from being sold. CBD is currently… Read More »
Would This New York Bill Make It A Crime Not To Vaccinate Your Children?
A new bill proposed by New York lawmakers would undo New Yorkers’ right to cite to non-medical exemptions from vaccination requirements for children– including an exemption due to religious beliefs–essentially making it a crime for children not to receive certain required vaccinations, even if their religion does not allow them to do so. The… Read More »
New York City Inmates’ Constitutional & Human Rights Severely Violated
An expose released in February revealed that more than a thousand inmates at one New York City federal jail in Brooklyn have been suffering from what arguably constitutes human rights abuses—no heat, no light, limited hot water, and not being provided with access to visitors or communication with the outside world, including with their… Read More »
New York City Settles Infamous Kalief Browder Civil Rights & Wrongful Death Case
In late January, New York City reached a $3.3. million settlement with the family of Kalief Browder, the young juvenile who spent three years detained at Rikers Island without even been tried or convicted after being accused the theft of a backpack at the age of 16, and who also spent most of that… Read More »
New Gun Control Laws in New York
In late January, New York State Legislators expect to pass eight new gun-control bills that would allow people to seek court orders to ban “dangerous” individuals from owning guns, bar schools from allowing teachers to be armed, ban bump stocks, and extend waiting periods for relevant background checks. This is the first set of… Read More »
