Criminal Law

Criminal possession of a weapon is one of the most serious offences in New York. The state has very strict laws in regards to weapons possession. The New York Penal Code definition of “deadly weapon” includes “any loaded weapon from which a shot, readily capable of...

While you may enjoy the liberties you have in the United States under the first amendment, there is a fine line between free speech and defamation. If you find yourself on either end of a defamation lawsuit, you may feel confused about the boundaries between the two. ...

Nearly all types of fraud in New York utilize non-face-to-face communications such as telephone, email or mail. As a result, wire fraud and mail fraud charges often occur together. You could spend up to 30 years in prison and pay up to $1 million in fines if the...

Financial offenses may seem less harmful than violent crimes, but the government imposes severe penalties on white collar crimes, nonetheless. Money laundering is both a federal and state offense. Federal law According to the U.S. Department of Justice, money...

Drug possession charges in New York result when a person knowingly and willfully possesses a controlled substance. Although the state no longer mandates minimum jail sentences for these crimes, penalties are still among the highest in the nation.  These are the legal...

You have likely heard enough examples of people citing self-defense as a justification for using force against another that such a claim is often met with cynicism. Yet your opinion can quickly change when you are placed in a situation where you are compelled to...

The United States and New York constitution guarantee citizens certain freedoms. These freedoms include freedom of association, speech, from false arrest and deliberate indifference to a medical condition. When you face an arrest in New York, you still have rights....

Law enforcement is in a precarious position. They have the main duty of protecting the public and maintaining law and order. At the same time, they have to be careful to not violate civil rights or make judgment calls that break the law. This is not always an easy...

There are many ways to defend against criminal charges in New York. One current trend, according to the History News Network, is the brain defense. You may use this to fight for a different verdict or to lessen your sentence. The idea behind this claim is that a brain...

When New York residents are accused of committing a crime, it may seem like a slam dunk if there was an eyewitness to the alleged crime. The surprising truth is that the reliability of eyewitness testimony may be a myth. While previously it has been believed to be one...