Reducing Criminal Charges
Reducing Criminal Charges in Ocean County NJ If you are arrested for a crime in New Jersey and the state subsequently files charges against you, finding and retaining proper legal representation can make the difference between a devastating outcome and a manageable one. In some cases, particularly if some of the facts of your case are favorable to you and give rise to viable legal defenses, your criminal defense attorney may be able to negotiate with a prosecutor for a reduction in your ...
Penalties for Arrests in School Zones
Penalties for Arrests in School Zones Arrested in a School Zone in NJ, Is it Worse? New Jersey law is highly protective of schools and schoolchildren. As a result, if you are convicted of certain crimes committed in close proximity to school property—an area known as a “school zone”—the penalties that you face are often much harsher than the penalties you would have faced if you committed the crime elsewhere. Here is the essential information you need to know about some of the ...
How do they Prove Shoplifting Charges?
How Does the State Prove a Shoplifting Case? Getting arrested for or caught shoplifting can be embarrassing in the moment, and, even worse, can leave you with a criminal record that may show up on background checks run by subsequent employers. If you have been accused of shoplifting in Ocean County, NJ, you may be wondering how the state can prove that you meant to steal the item, as opposed to getting caught up in an unfortunate misunderstanding or forgetting that you were carrying or ...
Drug Kingpin gets Life Sentence in Ocean County
Drug Kingpin Defense Lawyers in Ocean County, NJ Have you ever heard the term "drug kingpin?" Under the law, a drug kingpin is any person who controls a network of others involved in the drug trade. Usually, a drug kingpin is only prosecuted after lengthy investigation and potential undercover work in their organization. Investigators and prosecutors usually try to "flip" people who become informants against a drug kingpin. New Jersey takes drug trafficking so seriously that it enacted a ...
Is Possession of Marijuana a Felony in New Jersey?
Is Possession of Marijuana a Felony in New Jersey? As more and more states legalize or decriminalize the possession and use of marijuana, it can be easy to forget that some states, including New Jersey, still enforce laws that severely penalize marijuana offenses. Possession of marijuana is still prohibited by New Jersey’s general-purpose law banning the possession of all controlled dangerous substances without a valid prescription. Shockingly, this is the same law that applies to the ...
Immigration Consequences of an NJ Criminal Charge
Immigration Consequences of an NJ Criminal Charge If you are not a citizen of the United States, and you are arrested and charged with a criminal offense in New Jersey, you may be facing profound and potentially life-altering immigration consequences. This is a complicated area of law that is constantly developing as new state and federal court decisions and regulations are issued. You should recognize that even facing a comparatively minor disorderly persons offense like shoplifting or ...
First-Time Drug Offenses in New Jersey
First-Time Drug Charge Lawyers in Ocean County, NJ New Jersey prohibits the possession, manufacture, and distribution of controlled dangerous substances. These substances include Schedule I drugs like heroin and methamphetamine, along with some illegally obtained prescription drugs like oxycontin. Drug charges are punished severely in the New Jersey. Fortunately, first-time drug offenders have several options that are not available to people who have been previously convicted of crimes. If ...
Municipal Ordinance Violations at the Jersey Shore
Municipal Ordinance Violations at the Jersey Shore Municipal Court Defense Lawyers in Point Pleasant, NJ People go to the Shore to have a good time, but cutting loose can have a downside. If you frequently visit Jersey Shore towns like Point Pleasant, Long Beach Township, Mantaloking, Seaside Heights, Lavallette, or other shore communities, you may have occasionally had a little too much to drink, gotten into a loud argument or fight with another person, or possibly tried to sneak alcohol ...
Can Police Search me without a Warrant in NJ?
Can Police Search me without a Warrant in Ocean County, New Jersey? The New Jersey Constitution mirrors the United States Constitution in guaranteeing a citizen’s right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Police departments have been criticized in recent years for stopping citizens on the street and searching them without a warrant. In fact, a federal judge recently held that the NYPD’s “stop and frisk” policy for public warrantless searches violated the Constitution. While ...
What is Contempt of Court?
What is Contempt of Court? Contempt Charge Lawyer in Toms River, New Jersey Perhaps you know that you should obey a court order, but did you know that New Jersey considers it crime if you violate a court order? Fewer people are aware of the mechanisms the New Jersey court has to compel individuals to follow its orders. In many cases, disobeying a court order can lead to criminal charges for contempt of court. If you have been arrested and charged with contempt, it is extraordinarily ...