In a New York criminal trial, both the state and the defense may call witnesses. In many criminal cases, some of the most compelling evidence comes from eyewitness testimony. However, not all witness testimony is reliable. There are some reasons that eyewitnesses may...
Could eyewitness testimony lack credibility?
A star witness for the prosecution could make things uncomfortable for a defendant. Not every witness that makes statements in a New York courtroom is credible, though. Eyewitness testimony and evidence might suffer from flaws. Such flaws may be so egregious that a...
Differences between state and federal courts
New York residents who become involved with a legal matter will have their case decided by either a state or federal court. The purpose of both courts is to enforce laws and hold violators of laws accountable for their actions. However, there are differences between...
Most New Yorkers have been touched by traffic violence
Motor vehicle accidents kill tens of thousands of people each year in New York and around the country, and millions more suffer injuries. Drivers who cause car accidents may be ticketed for violating traffic laws and sued in civil court, and they could also face...
Do jury verdicts in New York have to be unanimous?
In most states, the jury’s verdict must be unanimous to convict a defendant. Before April 2020, Louisiana and Oregon didn't require a unanimous decision, which caused thousands of people to be put behind bars. However, the Supreme Court ruled in April that all jury...
What can NY business owners do after being charged with fraud?
A former Shoplet vice president has pleaded guilty to embezzling $6 million from the company. He was hired in 2006 and convinced the business to start using PayPal in 2007. From 2013 to 2019, he transferred millions of dollars from Shoplet's PayPal accounts into his...
Activists voice concerns over racial disparities in courtrooms
New York, like much of the nation, has seen more than its fair share of outcry against what protesters perceive as unequal treatment of black citizens by police departments. But activists now say that the lack of minority representation among the prosecutors and...
Roadside drug tests lead to wrongful convictions
New Yorkers may be surprised to read that numerous convictions have been overturned in the past few years in multiple states due to faulty roadside drug tests. Roadside drug tests are used by police to quickly check whether a substance is illegal. Police use the test...
Domestic violence laws in New York – The basics
In New York, a domestic violence charge is a serious offense. Furthermore, both the family court and the criminal court have jurisdiction when it comes to domestic violence, including assault, stalking, and other violent criminal acts that fall under the category....
Don’t become a shoplifting statistic
It's estimated that there are 27 million shoplifters in the United States. That breaks down to about one out of every 11 individuals. In a recent five-year period, over 10 million people got caught shoplifting. If you have fallen prey to the temptation to do a little...
