New Jersey Criminal Lawyers Blog

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Police officers throughout Ocean and Monmouth County are now using a new device that can scan passersby vehicle license plate numbers in a second and instantly provide the status of your vehicle and information about its owner. With 6 cameras mounted on the roof of the "reader car", information is instantly sent to the dashboard computer screen. If a vehicle warrants stopping, such as a outstanding warrant for arrest, an alert beeps and the officer can initiate a motor vehicle stop. The legality of the instruments usage has already been approved in a recent case, State v. Donis, that held that a police officer may randomly check the status of a vehicle registration or driver's license and whether the vehicle or its plates are stolen. According to one source, there are approximately 1.5 million unregistered or unlicensed vehicles in the State of New Jersey.
The scanners have powerful uses for crimes other then motor vehicle violations enforcement. Each scanner saves the data of license plate numbers it has read. If for example, bank robbers are casing a place for several hours beforehand their plates may be picked up by a police camera. Police are able to fetch this data many days later if need be as evidence to help establish probable cause and other elements of the crime.

Continue reading "Police In Ocean and Monmouth County Can Scan Your License Plate in a Second With New Technology" »

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The everyday traffic stop by a police officer has recently taken a drastic new turn. Implementation of tiny personal cameras pinned onto every police officer in Sea Girt Jersey is sure to create vibrations that will be felt for decades to come throughout New Jersey courtrooms. Created by Axon System the mini cameras are mounted on a headband, eyeglasses, or clipped to the collar of police and are able to record up to six hours of an officer at work. When video is recorded, it is wirelessly uploaded to a website, evidence.com, where it is available for retrieval by an officer with the proper authority. This groundbreaking implementation of technology, already used in Western States, is hoped to lead to better overall law enforcement procedure. In today's highly litigious society where even a simple traffic stop may end up in municipal court, this new upgrade will have untold effects.

The new technology will cost the Sea Girt Police Department about $2,000 per system and $1,200 in annual cost for data storage per unit. Sea Girt, with only 11 police officers, is the first of New Jersey's 566 municipalities to implement the mini cameras but already officials in Morristown and Cape May County have indicated their intent to have them soon. This new technology is possibly a response to the current trend of motor vehicle drivers recording snippets of their traffic stop with a cell phone. Rather than having only 10 seconds of recording, the longer videos will provide greater insight into the specifics of what happened.

Continue reading ""Big Brother" Police in New Jersey Are Watching You!" »

If you have been arrested for any disorderly persons offense in Wall, drunk driving in Wall, or have committed a more serious crime in Wall you need an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney that is familiar with the location where your incident took place and will work aggressively to defend your case.

Frequently charged disorderly persons offenses in Wall include: disorderly conduct (N.J.S. 2C:33-2), trespass (N.J.S. 2C: 18-3(b)), criminal mischief (N.J.S. 2C: 17-3), simple assault (N.J.S. 2C: 12-1), fake ID (N.J.S. 2C: 28-7), underage drinking (N.J.S. 2C:33-15), possession of CDS (N.J.S. 2C:35-10), and resisting arrest (N.J.S. 2C:29-2). A conviction for a disorderly persons charge can result in fines, jail-time, and in some cases payment of restitution. There are alternatives available to pleading guilty and defenses that can be argued in Wall Township Municipal Court.

There are numerous motor vehicle moving violations in Wall Township issued each day on the congested roads of the Garden State Parkway, Route 34, Route 138 and Route 35. Some common moving violations in Wall include: speeding (N.J.S. 39:4-98 and N.J.S. 39:4-99), failure to yield to a traffic sign (N.J.S. 39:4-81), reckless driving (N.J.S. 39:4-96), and careless driving (N.J.S. 39:4-97). There were over 350 DWI, DUI and refusals in Wall in 2010. Talk to an experienced Wall criminal lawyer about the circumstances of your motor vehicle violation or drunk driving charge before going to Wall Municipal Court.

Continue reading "Arrested in Wall Township? Call an Experienced Wall Criminal Defense Attorney." »

Wall Township, New Jersey is located in southern Monmouth County and is accessible by Route 35, Route 34, Route 70, Garden State Parkway interchange 98, I-195, and Route 138. Many drivers travel through Wall on their way to the various beachfront towns of Belmar, Point Pleasant Beach, Spring Lake, Brielle, Sea Girt, and Manasquan. Wall Township encompasses different districts such as Allaire, Allenwood, and Glendola. Allaire State Park and Wall Speedway are popular destinations frequented by residents and visitors as well as the numerous shopping locations, bars, and restaurants located in Belmar and Lake Como.

Since Wall Township has many major roads and highways passing through it, DWI, DUI, and refusal offenses often occur. Last year alone, there were 350 DWI related charges written in Wall Township. DWI, DUI, and refusal offenses are very serious and can have a long lasting effect. While not a criminal offense, DWI, DUI, and refusal penalties and fines are very substantial. A per se DWI is written when a person is caught operating a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicating liquor and who has a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) reading of 0.08% or above.

In Wall Township and in all of New Jersey, the police officer that has pulled you over must go through numerous steps to ensure he has accurately tested your BAC. This includes using the mandated, statewide Alcotest® 7110 MKIII-C breath testing device. If the officer accurately follows the mandated procedure, and an individual has a BAC reading of 0.08% or above, you will be charged with a per se DWI or DUI. However, you can be charged with a first tier, first offense, DWI or DUI even if you have blown a BAC under the statutory 0.08% or no reading was taken. If the officer observes and will testify that he observes any combination of psychophysical indicators of intoxication such as slurred speech, glassy eyes, or alcohol on the breath he will most likely charge the individual with a DWI or DUI. Penalties for DWI and DUI offenses can vary depending on BAC level and the number of previous offenses. If no BAC reading is taken due to a refusal, the same penalties apply as if the individual blew over a 0.10% BAC.

Recent law changes and New Jersey court cases have modified the way law enforcement agencies statewide can charge you with a DWI, DUI, or refusal. Most notably, all New Jersey law enforcement agencies must use the latest cutting edge technology in blood alcohol content (BAC) analysis. The Alcotest® 7110 MKIII-C manufactured by Draeger Safety Diagnostics represents a change in the way a motorist can be charged with a drunk driving, DWI, DUI, or refusal. Quite simply, there are many variables and procedures that can significantly affect your case at trial. The Draeger Alcotest® uses a sophisticated approach in measuring BAC in the bloodstream. It uses both infrared sensors and electrochemical sensors to obtain a reading within the court ordered tolerance of 0.005%. The Alcotest® replaces the outdated "breathalyzers" that were previously in use throughout the State since the 1950's.

If a valid BAC reading is taken using the Alcotest® 7110 and it is above the statutory 0.08% requirement, you will face severe penalties depending on what the Alcotest® 7110 reading is. For a first offense DWI or DUI, you can face: loss of license for up to one year, a fine of up to $500.00 plus additional fees, up to 30 days in jail, program and fee requirements of the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC), and a possible installation of an ignition interlock device in your automobile.

Continue reading "Wall Drunk Driving: Wall DWI Lawyer" »

Wall Township, New Jersey is located in southern Monmouth County and is accessible by Route 35, Route 34, Route 70, Garden State Parkway interchange 98, I-195, and Route 138. Due to its close proximity, travel to the various beachfront towns of Belmar, Point Pleasant, Spring Lake, Brielle, Sea Girt, and Manasquan are quite easy but can become difficult during the summertime traffic. Wall Township encompasses different districts such as Allaire, Allenwood, Farmingdale, and Glendola. Allaire State Park and Wall Speedway are popular destinations frequented by residents and visitors as well as the numerous shopping locations, bars, and restaurants.

Wall Township is a large Monmouth County municipality comprised of over 25,000 residents. During the summer months, Wall Township sees a large amount of traffic due to its close proximity to the beach. It is no surprise then that Wall Township saw 389 disorderly persons issued by law enforcement in 2010 alone. Disorderly persons offenses include: disorderly conduct (N.J.S. 2C:33-2), trespass (N.J.S. 2C: 18-3(b)), criminal mischief (N.J.S. 2C: 17-3), simple assault (N.J.S. 2C: 12-1), fake ID (N.J.S. 2C: 28-7), underage drinking (N.J.S. 2C:33-15), possession of CDS (N.J.S. 2C:35-10), and resisting arrest (N.J.S. 2C:29-2).

Since Wall Township has many major roads and highways passing through it, DWI and other driving offenses often occur such as: speeding (N.J.S. 39:4-99), failure to yield to a traffic sign (N.J.S. 39:4-81), reckless driving (N.J.S. 39:4-96), and careless driving (N.J.S. 39:4-97). Last year alone, there were 350 DWI related charges written in Wall Township. DWI, DUI, and refusal offenses are very serious and can have a long lasting effect. While not a criminal offense, DWI, DUI, and refusal penalties and fines are very substantial.

Continue reading "Wall Township Criminal Lawyer: Wall Township Municipal Court" »