Fake and forged motor vehicle license plates have become an increasingly common basis for criminal arrest in New York. What many people do not realize when they put a set of fake temporary plates on their car is that they are not just risking a traffic ticket — they are […]

  If you or someone you know is under investigation for healthcare fraud in New York, do not speak to investigators before consulting a criminal defense attorney. Every word you say can and will be used against you. Introduction: Why Healthcare Fraud Cases Are Unlike Any Other Healthcare fraud is […]

In our extensive criminal defense and family court practice, we often come across Order of Protection violations. In New York State, two types of Courts may issue Orders of protection – Criminal Courts and Family Courts. For the Criminal Court Judge to issue an Order against any person, that person […]

Federal law allows law enforcement officers to seize property, including cash, and initiate administrative forfeiture proceedings according to 21 USC 881 and other additional federal laws. The law authorizes the federal government to forfeit money traceable to the illegal drug sale or any other crime. Airport cash seizure law further […]

  A person is guilty of criminal mischief when having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he or she has such right, he or she intentionally or recklessly damages the property of another person or when such the defendant prevents another person from making […]

According to New York Penal Law §205.30, a person is guilty of resisting arrest when he or she intentionally prevents or attempts to prevent a police officer or peace officer from effecting an authorized arrest of himself or herself or another person. Resisting arrest is a class A misdemeanor punishable […]

  A person is guilty of forcible touching when such person intentionally and for no legitimate purpose forcibly touches the sexual or other intimate parts of another person for the purpose of degrading or abusing such person or for the purpose of gratifying his or her sexual desire. That includes […]

   Arraignment is the initial Court appearance in a criminal court after the person is arrested. In New York State, once the person gets arrested, he or she may be issued a Desk Appearance Ticket (“DAT”) after being fingerprinted and processed at the police station and directed to appear in […]

Domestic violence is a general term describing various crimes and offenses committed between spouses or former spouses, between parent and child, or between the members of the same family or household, as this term is defined in the New York Family Court Act (“FCA”). Domestic violence crimes include crimes committed […]

Sometimes our clients who have been charged with a crime ask us an interesting question – why do I need to hire you, a private attorney, if I already have a free lawyer appointed by the Court? It is definitely a legitimate question, and people who are unfamiliar with the […]

A person can get arrested for an assault charge as a misdemeanor or a felony. A person is guilty of Assault in a Third Degree (misdemeanor) when he causes physical injury to another person with the intent to cause such injury, recklessly, or negligently by means of a deadly weapon […]

A Desk Appearance Ticket — commonly called a DAT — is a written order issued by police directing you to appear in criminal court on a specific date to answer to a criminal charge. Instead of being taken to central booking and held for up to 24 hours before seeing […]

What is a jury trial? When does it take place?  Does it always take place?  Who decides if the case will be tried? Is jury trial a good option for a criminal defendant? Jury trial (JT) is a trial, a process when a panel of 6 jurors (in a misdemeanor […]

When the person gets arrested for the first time, he or she will most likely be terrified and shocked and will have tons of questions regarding the process and its outcome. Often, family and friends get involved in looking for a criminal defense attorney, and they as well will have […]

   Among the cases our firm handles in the Federal courts, the absolute majority are cases related to white-collar crimes, such as wire fraud, money laundering, and related conspiracies. What is the difference between the state and the federal court system? As it relates to criminal cases, the Federal Court […]

   A felony charge in New York is a serious criminal charge when an accused faces potential punishment of over 1 year of imprisonment.  A felony charge is more serious than a misdemeanor, which is a criminal charge when an accused faces potential punishment of imprisonment of up to 1 […]

Why You Need a Specialized DWI Lawyer in New York — Not a General Attorney If you have been arrested for DWI in New York, the most important call you can make is to an experienced New York DWI lawyer who specializes in these cases — not a general practice […]

    If a police detective has called you and asked you to come in to answer some questions, or if you have been contacted about a criminal matter, this page will explain what is likely happening, what your rights are, and what you should do next.   What Does […]

Sealing of Criminal Record. On October 7, 2017, a new law went into effect in the State of New York, that allowed for sealing the criminal record under certain conditions.  This was codified in New York Criminal Procedure Law (“CPL”) section 160.59 “Sealing of Certain Convictions.” This section provides that […]