Criminal charges

Make no mistake. Being charged with a violent crime is a big deal. Depending on the outcome of your case, a conviction may mean years of jail time. With the stakes so high, it is in your very best interest that you understand your defense options when charged with a...

Eyewitness testimony has long been considered one of the most persuasive forms of evidence in a court of law. However, eyewitnesses can be fallible, and their testimony can be unreliable. This raises the question: How can you challenge an eyewitness testimony?  Let’s...

In all states, you have a right to defend yourself from physical harm. There are situations in which you can use deadly force. You do need to realistically believe that you are in danger of potentially suffering fatal injuries yourself. The force you use has to be...

The overwhelming majority of individuals take no pleasure from being involved in physical violence of any kind. Unfortunately, a large number of these people will also find themselves under attack at some point in time. In such a scenario, are you entitled to use...

The law in New Jersey treats underage people who break the law differently than those over the age of 18. There is a much stronger focus on rehabilitation when the person accused of violating the law is a minor. The penalties they face will typically be less severe,...

As a U.S. citizen, you are entitled to freedom from government intrusion – to an extent. There are limits to your privacy and authorities (when justified) have the right to search your property if a crime is suspected.  It’s important to know your rights and the...

You may remember your teen years when your parents told you not to drink alcohol – and you did it anyhow. Now you have a teen (or two) of your own and you may be worrying if they’re going to follow in your footsteps.  While it’s not legal for teens to drink (without...

You may have heard people discuss crimes of passion. A crime of passion is when someone is so overcome by emotion that they react without thinking and do something illegal. In the most serious cases, it results in death. Can you really claim that it was a crime of...

The actors on TV police dramas say words like murder, homicide and manslaughter all the time. You figure those terms all describe one individual taking the life of another, so they must mean the same thing, right? Actually, they do not. Each is unique in key ways....

The film and television industry misrepresents the insanity defense, making it seem easy to beat charges for committing a violent offense. In real life, it is extremely hard to win a trial based on the insanity of a defendant. However, some people need an insanity...