Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans could see their criminal records cleared under a bill awaiting Gov. Phil Murphy’s signature. On Monday, state lawmakers in both the Assembly and the Senate voted in favor of a measure that would make it easier to expunge certain criminal…
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…
TRENTON — New Jersey has halted training state police dogs to sniff out pot. Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal told lawmakers Wednesday that a pending proposal to legalize recreational marijuana led police to stop training them to detect the odor of burnt cannabis. He says dogs already…
Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. At the Senate hearing Monday night, Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) expressed concern that the cost for such training and employment of extra officers would fall on municipalities. The bill would reimburse local costs to train Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) to work in communities and would also…
Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. The new legislation along with an accompanying bill seeks to remedy that by: Dismissing all pending marijuana charges and convictions for amounts up to five pounds; Returning the right to vote to those who are on parole or probation as the result of a conviction for…
The ever-changing landscape of cannabis law at the state level requires employers to be cognizant of their policies and practices to ensure up-to-date compliance. By Randi W. Kochman, Marissa A. Mastroianni and Arnold P. Picinich Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark While the recent expansion of cannabis laws will certainly affect society as…
Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Gov. Phil Murphy and legislative leaders have reached a broad agreement on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey, according to four sources familiar with the negotiations. “The consensus on the broad strokes is relatively fresh, so the details are still being worked out,”…
Timbs v. Indiana Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. The Supreme Court in February 20,2019 ruled that the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines applies to the states’ efforts to seize forfeited Vehicles seized by local police from defendants allegedly charged with drug offenses.The decision is a victory for an Indiana man whose…
Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. A bipartisan bill introduced this week would allow for possession of small amounts of marijuana — but only if voters approve a referendum on legalization. Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) proposed the bill, NJ A5138, which would ask voters whether they want to legalize recreational marijuana and…
DCPP v. V.F. NJ Appellate Division Approved for Publication January 22, 2019. Submitted by New Jersey Drug Crime Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark This appellate panel rejects the HGN, the horizontal gaze nystagmus DWI test, offered by the state to prove a parent was under the influence in an Abuse and Neglect case. The court rejected the HGN offered…
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New Jersey Survivors Justice Act: Sentencing Reform for Abuse Victims
Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark In January 2026, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a pair of bills known as the Survivors Justice Act (S-4870/A-5968 and S-4871/A-5969). This landmark legislation, championed by Senator Angela V. McKnight, Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, and other lawmakers, amends the state’s criminal code to allow courts…