NJ Court Reverses Ruling: Unlawful Terry Stop in Firearm Case

State of New Jersey v. Javarus Patterson Docket No. A-3325-22 Decided August 26, 2024 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark In a recent unpublished opinion, the Appellate Court of New Jersey decided defendant’s appeal from an order denying his motion to suppress evidence seized pursuant to a warrantless search following a Terry stop. In…

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Observation Of a Hand-To-Hand Transaction Alone Is Insufficient to Have a Reasonable and Articulable Suspicion of a CDS Transaction

State v. GIBSON Appellate Docket No.: A-3410-19 Decided January 10, 2022 Submitted by New Jersey New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark In a recent unpublished opinion, the Appellate Division of New Jersey reversed a denial of a motion to suppress after officers simply observed a hand to hand transaction without seeing what was exchanged and conducted…

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Warrantless Searches in New Jersey and Investigatory Stops How long can the police detain me without any ‘probable cause?

STATE V. CHISUM NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. [A]n investigative detention, also called a Terry stop or an investigatory stop, occurs during a police encounter when ‘an objectively reasonable person’ would feel ‘that his or her right to move has been restricted. SUMMARY: In this…

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What is the “Exclusionary Rule for unlawfully obtained evidence in New Jersey?

STATE V. CHISUM NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. [A]n investigative detention, also called a Terry stop or an investigatory stop, occurs during a police encounter when ‘an objectively reasonable person’ would feel ‘that his or her right to move has been restricted. SUMMARY: In this…

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What is an ‘unreasonable delay’ of a citizen by the police during an investigatory stop? Does a “Terry Stop” allow unlimited delay by the police in N.J.?

STATE V. CHISUM NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. SUMMARY: In this case, police officers responded to a simple noise complaint at a motel room. They arrived at the scene and did NOT issue any municipal ordinance summons for any violations because the renter of the room immediately…

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Suppression of Evidence from a police “Terry Stop” due to a violation of a municipal ordinance (Curfew Violation)

State v. Welch New Jersey Appellate Division (Unreported Decision November 7, 2018) Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In this case the police approach a defendant who is alleged to have violated a curfew issued from Hurricane Sandy.  The facts are as follows: 1) Officer Calleja testified that in the bright moonlight, aided by the patrol vehicle’s…

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