Legislation Archives | Pappalardo & Pappalardo LLP

New York’s Governor Issues Order to Restore Voting Rights to Parolees

Across the country, approximately 6 million people are disenfranchised because of a felony conviction. Strides are being made to change this, however, as it was recently announced that that New York's...

Medical Parole in New York: What Incarcerated Persons and Loved Ones Should Know

The number of elderly inmates incarcerated in New York has increased 98% since 2000. As such, many aging incarcerated persons have serious health issues – some with terminal diagnoses. In New York,...

New York Legislature to Consider Lowering BAC Threshold for DWI

One state assemblyman has proposed lowering New York’s threshold for misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated (“DWI”), citing a recent recommendation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering...

Sextortion and Revenge Porn: What You Need to Know About Possible Changes to the Law

In his “State of the State” address in early January, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his intention to make changes to the criminal justice system – including enacting legislation which would...

NY’s Governor to Push to Criminalize Revenge Porn, Provide More Discovery to Defense Attorneys

Earlier this month during his “State of the State” address, Governor Andrew Cuomo detailed various efforts on his 2018 agenda that would impact the criminal justice system. One such effort would be...

Effective Ways to Implement Mental Health Services in Prisons

U.S courts have declared that incarcerated persons have a constitutional right to receive medical and mental health treatments that meet minimum standards (Ruiz v. Estelle, 503 F. Supp. 1265 (S.D. Tex...

New York Courts Will Soon Have Discretion to Seal Adult Criminal Convictions

Beginning October 7, 2017, those with criminal convictions in New York may apply to have up to two adult criminal convictions sealed. Previously, only those with non-criminal records and those who com...

Justice Scalia Reminds Prosecutors that the Constitution Isn’t Optional in Melendez-Diaz

The recent United States Supreme Court holding in the case of Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts is a huge victory for criminal defense attorneys, and more importantly for the rights of defendants and the...

Victims of False Rape Allegations Beginning to Get Justice

Rape is an extremely serious crime. The psychological effects that it can have on a victim are severe and sometimes lifelong. Largely because of the severity of this crime, a false rape allegation c...

New York State’s Tough New Drunk Driving Laws

On November 18, 2009, Governor Patterson signed into law the Child Passenger Protection Act (Leandra’s Law). As a result, New York State now has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the entire...

Drunk Driving or Drag Racing May Cost You Your Car

Criminal defense attorney John Pappalardo of the Westchester New York law firm of Pappalardo & Pappalardo, an expert in both Driving While Intoxicated and Illegal Speed Contests law, spoke in fron...

Driving While Intoxicated: Increased Media Interest, Increased Penalties

This very recent double-fatality DWI Case in Putnam County highlights the horrors of DWI and the importance of retaining a criminal defense attorney with extensive experience and knowledge of New York...