Can My DNA be Taken in Jail While I Await Trial?

14-2-2814 State v. Gathers, N.J. Super. App. Div. (Fisher, P.J.A.D.) (13pp) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. A case was recently decided by New Jersey Appellate Division in which the Court ruled a buccal (mouth) swab, taken from a defendant while he awaited trial, was unreasonable. In this case, the defendant was charged with second-degree…

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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…

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Search and Seizure Based on an Anonymous Caller

CRIMINAL LAW – Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. 14-2-8702 State v. Thorpe , App. Div. (per curiam) (11 pp.)  This is an important case addressing the need by the police to independently verify information received from an anonymous caller to establish their own probable cause for the search, arrest and eventual charging of a criminal defendant. The…

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Detention At Arrest Location For 6 Minutes Held Reasonable!

State v. Antoine D. Watts (A-21-14) (074556) Argued September 17, 2015 — Decided December 2, 2015 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark New Jersey Supreme Court decision: The issue in this case is whether the second search of a defendant for 6 minutes after he was initially detained on a street corner…

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