New Jersey Criminal Law
Suppression of Evidence required when police enter a home without a warrant – State v. ADL August 7, 2019
STATE OF NEW JERSEY, v. MIKIEL A. ADL, SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION Decided August 7, 2019 (NOT APPROVED FOR PUBLICATION) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In this case the police came to a home in search of a shooter. One officer knocked on the door in plain cloths, however there were…
Read MoreState of New Jersey v. Zia Shaikh Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division July 9, 2019
Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Defendant Zia Shaikh was convicted for careless driving and for using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle in Bayonne on March 12, 2017. Defendant also pleaded guilty to a parking ticket in a separate matter. On defendant’s appeal, the Law Division issued an order on…
Read MoreUnlawful Possession of a Handgun | State of New Jersey v. Angel Rivera
Superior Court Of New Jersey, State of New Jersey versus ANGEL L.RIVERA Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Angel Rivera was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit and second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance after the denial of his suppression motion. Defendant was sentenced to five years…
Read MoreSenate Bill 3205
[First Reprint] SENATE, No. 3205 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 218th LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 26, 2018 Sponsored by: Senator SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM District 31 (Hudson) Senator M. TERESA RUIZ District 29 (Essex) SYNOPSIS Revises certain procedures for expungement of records of conviction. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 18,…
Read MorePTI Appeal—- Abuse of Prosecutor’s Discretion when considering factors no longer applicable!
State v. Davon M. Johnson New Jersey Supreme Court Argued March 11, 2019 — Decided May 30, 2019 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Issue on Appeal: Johnson’s unsuccessful application for pretrial intervention (PTI). Johnson was charged with third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) within 1000 feet of a school zone,…
Read MoreIllegal “prolong defendant’s roadside detention” and a police dog sniff his vehicle for drugs
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…
Read MoreMust a Criminal Defendant Turn Over Cellphone Passwords? NJ Supreme Court Will Decide
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…
Read MoreWhat is Reasonable & Articulable Suspicion mean in New Jersey in the confines of a motor vehicle stop??
State v. Nelson, New Jersey Supreme Court Decided May 8, 2019 — Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. We therefore consider whether a reasonable and articulable suspicion beyond that which justified the stop supported the canine sniff. See Dunbar, 229 N.J. at 540 (“[I]f an officer has articulable reasonable suspicion independent from the reason…
Read MoreNEWS FLASH, NJ Supreme Court Rules: Motor Vehicle stop extended for 40 minutes in order to wait for Drug Sniffing dog deemed acceptable in New Jersey
State v. Nelson, New Jersey Supreme Court Decided May 8, 2019 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Commentary: The court rules that a 40 minute wait for a drug sniffing dog to arrive based on relatively flimsy ‘independent reasonable and articulable suspicion” of the detective who conducted a motor vehicle stop was not…
Read MoreUnlawful Possession for Weapon Protective Sweep by police at scene of Motor Vehicle Stop
There must be specific and articulable facts that, at the time of the search of a vehicle, a person is capable of gaining immediate control of a weapon or weapons Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. State v. Ortiz New Jersey Appellate Division May 6, 2019 (Not Approved for Publication) Facts: The salient…
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