Category Archives: Criminal Defense
New York Employers Face Strict New Sexual Harassment Laws
In response to the transformation that the #MeToo movement has had in our society and on workplace culture, New York and New York City passed what many are referring to the country’s most stringent workplace sexual harassment laws, which went into effect on October 9. Both the city and state regulations require employers to… Read More »
Therapists Arrested In New York For Billing Fraud Demonstrate Severity of These Charges
On October 4, eight therapists were arrested in New York on federal billing fraud charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from developmentally disabled children by billing for services that were never provided between 2012 and 2018. According to reports from federal prosecutors, the fraud included forcing the names of parents or… Read More »
Police Using Fitbit Data to Charge Defendants with Murder
Police are reportedly using a new tool to gather evidence in their criminal investigations: Fitbit fitness trackers. Recently, they used data provided by this device to arrest a man for allegedly killing his stepdaughter. According to reports, the arrest was made based on data from the victim’s Fitbit, which showed that her heart rate… Read More »
What Is Happening With Legalization Of Marijuana In New Jersey?
Rolling Stone recently ran an interesting article on the legalization of marijuana in New Jersey. According to experts, New Jersey has a unique set of circumstances that could allow it to become a global leader in the cannabis industry. First, the state has some of the highest incarceration rates in the country as a… Read More »
Proposed Law Would Expand New Jersey’s DWI Ignition Interlock Program
A new law proposed in New Jersey (S824) could have significant impacts on anyone who is convicted of a DUI/DWI (i.e. driving while intoxicated) by increasing the number of individuals who must use an ignition interlock system. A DUI ignition interlock acts like a breathalyzer and won’t allow a car to start if the… Read More »
Are Police Officers In New York & New Jersey Engaging In Misconduct To Get The Evidence They Want?
Below, we discuss two breaking stories that involve police misconduct and the potential repercussions it has on the innocent here in New York and New Jersey: NYPD & District Attorney’s Office Charges a Suspect in Jogger Murder “On a Hunch” The New York jogger who was murdered in Howard Beach (Queens, New York) two… Read More »
New York Judge Orders Man Freed, Noting “Zero Tolerance” Immigration Policy Is Cruel
In a major victory for individuals charged with immigration crimes, in late July, a New York judge (Paul Crotty) ordered an Ecuadorian immigrant (Pablo Villavicencio) freed from an immigration detention camp in New Jersey, noting that the U.S. government was applying its “zero tolerance” policy in a “cruel and thoughtless manner.” Judge Crotty also… Read More »
New York City Can No Longer Give Out Camera-Based Speeding Tickets
As of July 25, New York City is reportedly no longer authorized to hand out $50 tickets to motorists caught by speed cameras in the city. While cameras in 20 school zones will continue to ticket until August under a different law, the others cannot operate. These cameras have long drawn criticism for those… Read More »
New Jersey Officials Question Jailing Immigrants For ICE
Since the current administration has expanded the scope of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), close to 2,000 immigrants have been placed in county jails in Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties alone here in New Jersey. Many are held solely on an immigration violation, which is a civil infraction. This is because the administration altered… Read More »
New York Council Passes Significant Uber & Lyft Restrictions & Launches Voter Registration Efforts In Jails
During the month of August, a number of important initiatives that affect New Yorkers’ civil rights moved forward, as we discuss in detail below: Increasing Voter Registration for Inmates On August 7, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new voter registration drive for the city’s correctional facilities, which will allow inmates… Read More »
