PTI Appeal in New Jersey – State versus Austin

State V. Austin. Denial of Admission into PTI overturned. Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark In this case a defendant applied to be admitted into New Jersey’s PTI (Pre Trial Intervention) program. The prosecutor’s office in Gloucester County denied defendant’s admission and based same on defendant’s prior admission into Pennsylvania’s ARD diversionary program…

Read More

MAN CHARGED IN CAMDEN HOMICIDE – 5/25/16

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo and Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson announced a Camden man has been arrested and charged in connection with a fatal shooting in the city last week. Lehjye Waring, 24, was charged with first-degree murder of 24-year-old James Rhodes of East…

Read More

Appellate Review of Trial Courts Determination of Evidentiary Questions

What is the standard of review for a trial courts decision regarding the introduction of certain pieces of evidence at trial? Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. The New Jersey Appellate Division and State Supreme Court are required to provide a quote deferential standard quote for reviewing a trial court evidentiary airy brewing.…

Read More

New Criminal Court Procedure if You are Arrested in New Jersey After May 20, 2016

New criminal court procedure if you are arrested after May 20, 2016: There are substantial changes to the New Jersey criminal court procedure  for all indictable offense is an all complaint/summons cases. Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. This blog we will discuss the changes and procedure for indictable offense is that becomes…

Read More

Texting and Driving? Watch Out for the Textalyzer

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Over the last seven years, most states have banned texting by drivers, and public service campaigns have tried an array of tactics — “It can wait,” among them — to persuade people to put down their phones when they are behind the wheel. Yet the problem, by…

Read More

Minor Vehicle Equipment Problems Can Lead to Criminal Convictions

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Between the use of license plate readers and police officers attempting to pull motor vehicle operators over for any possible reason you have to get every equipment problem in your car fixed immediately. This is especially true if you were driving while suspended due to other traffic…

Read More

Expert Testimony of Police for Drug Cases

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Expert Testimony on Drug Possession versus Possession with Distribution In this case, State of New Jersey vs Jamison, the County Prosecutor identified one of their own investigator’s to be an ‘expert’ to testify what amount of drug possession equals possession with distribution, as opposed to just ‘possession’.  This can have a…

Read More

N.J. law requiring police-car cameras ruled unconstitutional

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. TRENTON – A 2014 law requiring all New Jersey municipalities to outfit new police patrol cars with dashboard cameras is unconstitutional because it does not provide an adequate funding source, a state board ruled Wednesday. The ruling by the Council on Local Mandates on a challenge brought…

Read More

New PTI Guidelines for New Jersey

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Pretrial Intervention is, prior to these modifications, a first time offenders alternative disposition program aimed at non-violent non-weapons offense first time offenders that enabled defendants access to a non-jail probationary period up to 36 months.   If a defendant successfully completes the probationary period without any new…

Read More