New York State Criminal Defense

It is easy to overlook that driving is a privilege, not a right. You earn this privilege by passing your driving test, and you maintain it by obeying applicable traffic laws. In New York State, you can get your driver’s license suspended or revoked based on your...

Polygraph tests -- also known as “lie detector” tests -- are controversial, at best. That doesn’t stop the authorities, however, from continuing to use them as part of the investigative process into crimes. If the police ask you to take a polygraph test, it helps to...

Many recreational drugs are highly addictive. This means that the more a person uses, the more they physically and psychologically rely on the drug. Addiction comes with countless downsides: It means that a person will prioritize gaining access to their drug over...

Most people are familiar with the term “extortion.” Under New York state law, it’s referred to as “coercion.”  You might associate coercion with organized crime families or street gangs who offer to “protect” a business in exchange for regular payments or threats that...

If the police arrest you and charge you with a drug offense, it can a harrowing and unsettling experience. You may have heard accounts of other people who served time for drug crimes they claim had nothing to do with them. It is important to avoid panicking and...

When you use a knife to perform your job, you probably open and close it repeatedly throughout your day. Locking, complex folding blades aren't the best tool for someone who installs carpet or frequently opens packages on a loading dock. Something that you can quickly...

Most people are aware that the distribution, manufacturing or trafficking of drugs is illegal. So too, however, are many other actions that could be associated with drug activity -- and the seriousness of some of the charges may surprise you. What are the different...

Violent offenses have to be taken seriously because New York’s laws are strict. You may have heard that shootings in New York City have increased despite the fact that other serious crime arrests have fallen, and that’s something that you should pay attention to. ...

You hear about cases fairly frequently where someone insists that they are innocent, they get convicted anyway, and then that conviction gets overturned by DNA evidence. It’s clear that the person was right the whole time: They didn’t do it. There are other cases,...

In some criminal cases, defendants who have been accused of violent crimes may be offered a plea deal. Typically, this involves the prosecution offering the defendant a deal in which they plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a lighter sentence. For those...