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...
Assault of a Police Officer – a Serious Felony Offense in New York
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Police officers protect our communities. While doing their job, they can become injured – sometimes because of the actions of those they are trying to arrest. And when a de...
Tickets for Passing a Stopped School Bus – A Serious Traffic Offense
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. School is back in session. During your commute, you may see school buses and children at bus stops. For obvious reasons, it’s best to drive safely whenever near a school bu...
Wrongful Conviction Film Shows Effects of Fabricated Charges
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. In August of 2019, the film Brian Banks was released. It portrays the true story of Brian Banks, whose wrongful conviction nearly destroyed his dream of playing in the NFL....
You Received an Appearance Ticket or DAT – Now What?
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. An appearance ticket or DAT (Desk Appearance Ticket) is a summons issued by a police officer to appear in criminal court. If you’ve received an appearance ticket or have be...
Reckless Driving in New York – More Than a Traffic Ticket
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Reckless Driving is more than a mere traffic infraction. It is a misdemeanor offense which, if convicted, may result in you having a criminal record. What Is the...
Permissive License Suspensions for New York Traffic Incidents
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Driving is considered a privilege and not a right. As such, the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”) may suspend or revoke your license if you are a...
Larceny Charges in New York – Why the Value of the Item Matters
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Larceny is criminalized by Article 155 of the New York Penal Law. A larceny occurs when a person takes property with the intent of keeping that property from its rightful o...
Hate Crimes in New York – What You Need to Know
By Jill K. Sanders, Esq. Hate crimes are frequently talked about in the news. And in some cases, bias intent coupled with violence has led to serious injuries or even death. Such hate crimes are pu...