Recent Blog Posts
Will New Jersey Make It A Crime To Smoke Menthol Cigarettes?
Some New Jersey lawmakers have called for a ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes, arguing that it should be illegal to buy or sell them in New Jersey because they are more dangerous and addictive in terms of additives other than just nicotine. Some experts have also noted that, years ago, menthol escaped… Read More »
Is New York Close To Legalizing The Recreational Use Of Marijuana?
In January, Governor Cuomo ordered a study on the recreational use of marijuana to be conducted by the New York State Department of Health, noting possible legalization in nearby states like New Jersey. In doing so, many New Yorkers now posit that it is only a matter of time before readily available legal marijuana… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court To Decide On Sixth Amendment Rights In Death Penalty Case
On January 17th, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in McCoy v. Louisiana, a case which poses an important question in criminal defense cases regarding whether a defendant’s attorney can admit their guilt to a jury against the defendant’s wishes, and whether doing so violates the Sixth Amendment. This particular case involves a defendant… Read More »
Outdated Laws Block Information Flow & Justice For Criminal Defendants
Access to all information relevant to a criminal case is a crucial aspect of building an effective defense and in ensuring that our criminal justice system honors a defendant’s constitutional rights. And yet, this is a serious issue when it comes to crucial information on social media sites, as they typically readily hand over… Read More »
New York City Ends Cash Bail System In Non-Felony Cases
In a huge victory for New York City, on January 10th, the district attorneys for Brooklyn and Manhattan announced that they would no longer request cash bail in most misdemeanor and violation (i.e. non-felony) cases, allowing defendants to be released rather than sit in jail until and unless they could provide large amounts of… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Point Out The Importance Of Working With Experienced Criminal Defense
When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently visited and spoke at the University of Houston Law Center, she emphasized just how important it is for criminal defendants to work with experienced criminal defense attorneys in order to ensure that they are properly represented. Specifically, Justice Sotomayor and Justice Kagan have long expressed frustration… Read More »
Practicing “Unlicensed Dentistry” In New Jersey Can Land You In Prison
Did you know that in New Jersey (and certain other states), you can go to prison for practicing certain professions without a license? Two men recently arrested for this found out that practicing “unlicensed dentistry” doesn’t just open you up to potential civil litigation from clients, but also carries a prison term of up… Read More »
Murphy Tackles Medical Marijuana In New Jersey After First Week In Office
On January 23rd, New Jersey’s new Governor Phil Murphy ordered a 60-day review of New Jersey’s problematic medical marijuana program, indicating that he was considering making major changes to the program in order to help facilitate citizens getting the treatment that they need, and help the program to become more effective. Specifically, Murphy is… Read More »
New York Jury Convicts NYPD Detective Of Police Misconduct
On January 24th, a Queens jury convicted one New York Police Department of serious police misconduct in a case that has dominated national headlines. The detective—Kevin Desormeau—was found guilty of perjury, making and effectively creating a bogus drug case against an innocent man who, as a result, spent time in jail at Rikers Island…. Read More »
New Jersey Book Ban Violates Prisoners’ First Amendment Rights
New Jersey has a sordid history when it comes to civil rights issues and prisons: The state leads the nation in racial disparity between black and white inmates, where African-Americans lead the incarceration rate 12-to-1 (in the face of a 5-to-1 national average). Perhaps most shockingly, black inmates represent 60 percent of the state’s… Read More »
