Illegal “prolong defendant’s roadside detention” and a police dog sniff his vehicle for drugs

May 23, 2019 |

State v. Rodriguez  New Jersey Appellate Division May 21, 2019 (Not Approved for Publication) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Layer, Jeffrey Hark Issue: How long can the police keep a motor vehicle driver at a motor vehicle stop for a mere equipment violation? Facts: The following facts are derived from the motion record. On March…

Residential Home Owner not required to maintain public sidewalk adjacent to their property

May 22, 2019 |

Colombo v. Estate of Serriano , N.J. Super. App. Div. (Fuentes, P.J.A.D.) (8 pp.) (Not approved for Publication Submitted by New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Plaintiff appealed the dismissal of her slip and fall action. Plaintiff slipped and fell on snow and ice on the sidewalk in front of decedent’s single-family home. The trial…

Second Offense of Driving During a DWI Suspension Under NJSA 2C:40-26? Jail Time with No Parole

May 22, 2019 |

New Jersey Supreme Court declares that a Guilty plea or Jury Verdict for a second offense of driving while suspended during a DWI period of suspension under NJSA 2C:40-26 required 180 county jail time with NO parole or ‘intermittent’ days to serve the jail time Submitted by New Jersey DWI Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. State v.…

A person has “reason to know” when he or she “has information from which a person of reasonable intelligence or of the superior intelligence of the actor would infer that the fact in question exists, or that such person would govern

May 16, 2019 |

The key to this case is the excellent development of the circumstantial and attendant facts surrounding the access to the worksite, and its proximity to public access, together with the deposition of numerous construction employees and the safety literature/materials of the company contracted to perform the work.  It is an excellent read of the meticulous…

Injured in an auto accident? Fail to maintain medical expense benefits coverage and you may have no cause of action for recovery of economic recovery.

May 15, 2019 |

Any person who, at the time of an automobile accident resulting in injuries to that person, is required but fails to maintain medical expense benefits coverage mandated by [N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3.1, -3.3, or -4] shall have no cause of action for recovery of economic recovery. Hurtado v. Wilkins , N.J. Super. App. Div. (Not Approved for…

Must a Criminal Defendant Turn Over Cellphone Passwords? NJ Supreme Court Will Decide

May 13, 2019 |

Must a Criminal Defendant Turn Over Cellphone Passwords? NJ Supreme Court Will Decide In an increasingly technological age, the case is one lawyers are paying close attention to with the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey listed as an amicus. Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Does compelling a criminal defendant…

Marijuana legalization bills likely ‘dead’ as Sweeney rejects meeting with Murphy

May 12, 2019 |

By SAM SUTTON 05/09/2019 07:31 PM EDT Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark TRENTON — Legislation that would legalize marijuana for recreational use in New Jersey appears to be dead — at least for now. The Democrat-controlled Legislature no longer expects to vote this month on a package of three bills that would…

Defense Counsel’s disqualification by the court causes conviction to be overturned.

May 12, 2019 |

State v. Jackson,  N.J. Super. App. Div. May 9, 2019 (Not Appoved for Publication) Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Defendant appealed from his conviction on drug and weapons charges. Police had attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by defendant for failure to wear seatbelts. Defendant led officers on…

What is a reasonable amount of time for a commercial landowner to remove a hazardous condition during a weather event?

May 12, 2019 |

Abdalla v. Threegees, N.J. Super. App. Div. (Not Approed for Publication)  Plaintiff appealed the dismissal of his slip-and-fall complaint. The court agreed with the motion judge because it was still raining when plaintiff fell and defendant’s reasonable period to treat the sidewalk began at the conclusion of the precipitation. What is a reasonable amount of…

Burden of Proof: Motion for New Trial after jury verdict — What I need to prove!

May 10, 2019 |

Don v. Edison Car Company, New Jersey Appellate Division May 9, 2019  (Not Approved for Publication) Submitted by New Jersey Civil Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. We review the denial of a motion for a new trial under the same standard that bound the trial court. Risko v. Thompson Muller Auto. Grp., Inc., 206 N.J. 506, 522…