Criminal Defense
Vehicle Thieves Are Raising Their Game
If you ever find yourself in or around New York, be aware of any cars with temporary license plates – you may be witnessing a crime in action. Recently, criminals have been using fake temporary license plates to make themselves undetectable to police while committing crimes. Drug traffickers, terrorists, gang members, and organized theft rings…
Read MoreWhat Information Comes Up in a Background Check?
Growing up, most of us heard the stories about our “permanent record.” Getting into trouble at school could mean more than just a trip to the principal’s office or a stint in detention or even (gasp!) a suspension – it could be a mark on our permanent record that would follow us and interfere with…
Read MoreHow Does Bail Work?
Anyone who grew up suffering through marathon Monopoly games with their siblings (while one player invariably stole $20s from the bank) likely knows a thing or two about bail. But if you or someone you love find yourself in need of bail money – perhaps for stealing from an actual bank – you do not…
Read MoreGrand Theft… Ambulance?
Well folks, we have another one. A case where someone is accused of a crime that sounds so far-fetched that you have to wonder if it’s real or if it’s part of the plot of a TV sitcom. According to an article on CNYCENTRAL.com, a woman in Upstate New York is accused of stealing an…
Read MoreDo You Have the Right to a Speedy Trial? Apparently Not During a Pandemic
Being arrested and charged with a crime can be terrifying – regardless of whether or not you are guilty. But what if you’ve been arrested and are in jail awaiting your trial when a global pandemic hits and the wheels of justice suddenly stop turning? Now you’re facing the possibility of a criminal conviction –…
Read MoreGlobal Effort to Bring Down Organized Crime? There’s an App for That
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know how much I love a good cop procedural, and movies about criminal shenanigans. I’m especially fond of The Sting, because you can’t put Redford, Newman, and Shaw in a movie and NOT have it be wonderful. So in case you were wondering, heck yeah I’m…
Read MoreCrime Doesn’t Pay. Apparently, Neither Does Annapolis PD
As a criminal defense lawyer, I spend a lot of time arguing with cops. It comes with the job. People think we’re on opposite sides of the law, but that’s not really true. We’re both supposed to be upholding the laws, even if we do it in different ways. So when police officers suddenly find…
Read MoreDon’t Be a (Super) Hero. It’ll Land You in Prison.
Whether you’re into DC or Marvel, movies or comics, we can all agree on one basic idea: superheroes are awesome. It’s a fun fantasy, the idea of some super-powered, ultra-moral person above the agendas and borders of modern law and society, saving people and defeating evil. Usually there’s spandex involved. No one’s allowed to question…
Read MoreEx-Cons May Be Able to Serve on Juries Soon, Making Them as Miserable as Everyone Else
The right to a fair trial with a jury of your peers has been upheld in this country for centuries. Almost every citizen over 18 in the country has been summoned to jury duty at some point in their lives, even if they get dismissed for whatever reason before they enter the court. That being…
Read MoreNew Rules about Probation and Parole Violations
There are a handful of ways you can get out of prison: you can serve your time in full, you can receive a full pardon, or you can get out early on parole. In some cases, however, a judge might suspend your sentence and put you on probation instead. On October 1, 2016, the Justice Reinvestment…
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