Westchester New York Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

New York City Art and Education Event on Registry Laws

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. This month, the Drawing Center in NYC will host events which explore the intersection between art and criminal justice. "Our Fellow Americans: A Symposium on Public Convict...

New York’s Laws on Kidnapping and Unlawful Imprisonment

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Kidnapping cases often appear front and center in the news. Yet the legal definition is often much different from public perception. It is not just the unknown abductor tak...

Criminal Contempt & Violations of Orders of Protection in New York

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Criminal contempt is a crime taken very seriously by both prosecutors and judges. Many times, it involves a defendant alleged to have contacted a victim of their previous c...

Opinion: Why We Needed Bail Reform

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the writer only. They are not necessarily the views of the law firm or any of its attorneys. Beginning J...

Controlled Calls and Their Use by Police in Investigating Crimes

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. A man and a woman meet – either in a bar, through a friend, or on a dating app. After a couple of dates, the man and woman engage in sexual intercourse. But afterwards, the...

Carfentanil – An Opioid More Dangerous Than Fentanyl

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. The news about the country’s opioid epidemic is not new. Every day, Americans are dying from drug overdoses, with opioids being the biggest culprit. Over the past several y...

Discovery Changes in New York – Repealing New York’s “Blindfold Law”

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Discovery is the process by which a criminal defendant learns about the evidence in the prosecution’s case. This includes reports, witness statements, and physical evidence...

CBD and the Cannabis Plant – What’s Legal, and What’s Not

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. It can relieve anxiety and depression. It helps you sleep. It’s sold in oils, sprays, and even lollipops. CBD, a chemical derived from the cannabis plant, seems to be every...

Did New York’s Bail Reforms Go Too Far?

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. New York’s criminal justice system will soon undergo dramatic changes. As detailed in our two recent blogs, beginning January 1, 2020, there will be many changes. One su...

Can Your Criminal History “Rap Sheet” Be Wrong?

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Can you rap sheet be wrong? The short answer is "yes." And if it is incorrect, it could impact you dramatically. For example, you could lose job opportunities or be denied...

New York’s ‘Red Flag’ Law: Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Remove Guns

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. In August of 2019, New York’s “red flag” law went into effect. The law allows a court to issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order (“ERPO”). An ERPO prevents those who show si...

Additional ‘Raise the Age’ Changes In Effect As of October 1

By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. In New York, crimes committed by juvenile offenders account for about 20% of all arrests. Two years ago, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation approving reform known as...