Unlawful Possession of a Handgun | State of New Jersey v. Angel Rivera

Superior Court Of New Jersey, State of New Jersey versus ANGEL L.RIVERA Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark Angel Rivera was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit and second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance after the denial of his suppression motion. Defendant was sentenced to five years…

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What is Reasonable & Articulable Suspicion mean in New Jersey in the confines of a motor vehicle stop??

State v. Nelson, New Jersey Supreme Court Decided May 8, 2019 — Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. We therefore consider whether a reasonable and articulable suspicion beyond that which justified the stop supported the canine sniff. See Dunbar, 229 N.J. at 540 (“[I]f an officer has articulable reasonable suspicion independent from the reason…

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NEWS FLASH, NJ Supreme Court Rules: Motor Vehicle stop extended for 40 minutes in order to wait for Drug Sniffing dog deemed acceptable in New Jersey

State v. Nelson, New Jersey Supreme Court Decided May 8, 2019  Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Commentary:  The court rules that a 40 minute wait for a drug sniffing dog to arrive based on relatively flimsy ‘independent reasonable and articulable suspicion” of the detective who conducted a motor vehicle stop was not…

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Standard of review Suppression of Evidence Pre-State v. Witt (Pena-Flores Standard of Review) Motor Vehicle Stop New Jersey

State v. Ortiz  New Jersey Appellate Division May 6, 2019 (Not Approved for Publication) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In reviewing a motion to suppress evidence, this court must defer to the trial court’s fact findings underlying its decision, “so long as those findings are supported by sufficient credible evidence in the…

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State v. James Rogers Decided May 3, 2019 New Jersey Appellate Division (Not Approved for Publication) Appealing a Municipal Court Conviction — Standard of Review

State v. James Rogers Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. An appeal of a municipal court conviction must first be addressed by the Law Division de novo. R. 3:23-8. The role of the Law Division is to make independent findings of facts and conclusions of law based on the record developed in the…

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Search of Motor Vehicle based on Smell of Weed and Headlight OUT ONLY!

State v. Juan Rodriguez May 3, 2019 NJ Appellate Division (Approved for Publication) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Facts: The pertinent facts that emerged at the suppression hearing were substantially undisputed by the parties. On January 1, 2018, Police Officer Kevin Olah of Warren Township was in a marked patrol vehicle at a gas station…

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