Legal Information Center

As former prosecutors who now practice criminal defense, we have collectively dealt with hundreds upon hundreds of drug cases over the years. Throughout these years each of us has seen people from all backgrounds and professions walk through the courtroom doors to face drug charges. Whether the person is arrested and “put through the system,”…

Have you been arrested for bringing a gun to a New York City Airport? There is an age-old principle of law which says that ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it (ignorantia juris non exusat); if it were, one could claim a defense to every crime on the grounds that he/she was…

Every year thousands of people get arrested in New York for crimes and offenses relating to their driving licenses or driving privileges. One of the most common of these offenses is Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree under VTL (Vehicle and Traffic Law) Section 511(1)(a). Sometimes the police will arrest…

We have previously discussed the law on Assault in the Third Degree (Penal Law Section 120.00), but in our experience, these cases often proceed differently and require a different strategy when they are initiated by Desk Appearance Tickets. A Desk Appearance Ticket (or “DAT”) for Assault in the Third Degree is usually only issued when…

In New York, the crime of Public Lewdness (Penal Law Section 245.00) is a class B misdemeanor. People arrested for this crime frequently receive Desk Appearance Tickets (especially if they have no criminal record), but are occasionally forced to spend a night in prison before their arraignment. Individuals arrested for Public Lewdness are also frequently…

On Thursday, July 19, the New York Post wrote an article about a decision by a Supreme Court judge to order the unsealing of grand jury testimony from the grand jury investigation that cleared MG client Angel Alvarez of all charges. The testimony will be critical to the ongoing police brutality lawsuit in federal court,…

Every year, police officers in New York City make thousands of arrests for “domestic violence,” or violent crimes by one person against a family member or romantic partner. (Click here for recent New York state statistics). There are so many arrests of this sort that prosecutors receive specialized training about these cases and every precinct…

Every Fourth of July, I usually get a question or two concerning the state of the law on fireworks in New York State. Most of us grew up enjoying fireworks on Independence Day, but the fact of the matter is that our legislature has determined that most fireworks are simply too dangerous for the citizens…

New York state’s highest appellate court – the Court of Appeals – is set to hear oral arguments on an interesting appeal involving the charge of Enterprise Corruption under Penal Law Section 460.20 entitled People v. Western Express et al. The decision could have a major effect on the prosecution of these cases in New…

Arrested for Possessing a Small Amount of Marijuana This post examines the New York City Desk Appearance Ticket for Marijuana Possession given in cases involving possession of a small amount of marijuana. A typical scenario will involve a group of people gathering somewhere outdoors, outside a bar, or simply walking down the street, passing around…