What Do I Say to The Police If I Am Arrested?

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark State vs. Aziz  (Appellate Division 2016) In this case the defendant, whom the police were looking for due to his cell phone number recently showing up on a cell phone of a dead woman, was brought to the police department for questioning. FACTS: After the police took…

Read More

Appellate Standard of Review for a Motion to Suppress

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. State v. Aziz.  Decided March 31, 2016 In reviewing the denial of a motion to suppress for an alleged violation of Miranda, we use a “searching and critical” standard of review to protect a defendant’s constitutional rights. State v. Maltese, 222 N.J. 525, 543 (2015) (quoting State…

Read More

State vs. Rosario: Is this an arrest or a field inquiry?

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark State vs. Rosario In this case the issue is whether the police’s contact and communications with the defendant was a ‘field inquiry’, a Terry stop, or a custodial interrogation?  If difference depends on whether the subject of the inquiry, the defendant here, feels their freedom to leave have been…

Read More

Legal Standard of Review of a Trial Court’s Motion to Suppress | State vs. Wilson

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark 14-2-9404 State v. Winslow, App. Div. (per curiam) (13 pp.) When reviewing a motion to suppress, we “must uphold the factual findings underlying the trial court’s decision so long as those findings are supported by sufficient credible evidence in the record.” Handy, supra, 206 N.J. at 44 (citation…

Read More

Right to Privacy in the Hotel Registration Sign In / Log book

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. 14-2-9404 State v. Winslow, App. Div. (per curiam) (13 pp.) A long standing standard ‘slow night’ policing tactic includes an officer conducted a “registry check” at the neighborhood low end ‘motels’ or hotels in town looking for anyone with an outstanding warrant for arrest for any reason.  In this…

Read More

Criminal Resources related to State vs. Feliciano

Published by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark 2A:156A-8. Authorization for application for order to intercept communications The Attorney General, county prosecutor or a person designated to act for such an official and to perform his duties in and during his actual absence or disability, may authorize, in writing, an ex parte application to a…

Read More

State vs. Wright: Identification of the defendant by the victim at the scene

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Attorney, Jeffrey Hark State vs. Wright Appellate Division February 29, 2016 (Approved for Publication) The next issue in this case is the identification of the defendant by the victim at the scene.  In 2011 the NJ Supreme Court handed down it surfing in State vs. Henderson.  That decision outlined a…

Read More

New Jersey RULE 3:28. Pretrial Intervention Programs

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark State vs. A.S. Here is a brief review of the PTI standard and law governing the Prosecutor’s PTI program in New Jersey New Jersey’s PTI program is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:43-12 and the Supreme Court’s guidelines for implementation, set forth in Rule 3:28. Generally, individuals with no…

Read More