In New York, where a police officer issues a defendant an appearance ticket for a crime such as Reckless Driving or Possession of Marihuana directing that defendant is to appear in a local criminal court on a future date, the police officer is supposed to file, or cause to be…
Articles Posted in CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
WHERE A DEFENDANT APPEARS IN A LOCAL CRIMINAL COURT AS INSTRUCTED IN AN APPEARANCE TICKET, THE COURT DOES NOT ACQUIRE JURISDICTION OVER THE DEFENDANT IF AN ACCUSATORY INSTRUMENT HAS NOT BEEN FILED [People v. Stirrup, 91 N.Y.2d 434]
In New York, a police officer can issue a defendant an appearance ticket also referred to as a “Desk Appearance Ticket” or “DAT” instead of formally arresting that defendant where the charge is a non-criminal offense, a misdemeanor or most E felonies. CPL 150.20(1). Before the defendant appears in court…
FOR SPEEDY TRIAL PURPOSES, UNDER ARTICLE 30 OF NEW YORK’S CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW, THE ACTION AGAINST A DEFENDANT WHO HAS BEEN ISSUED AN APPEARANCE TICKET IS DEEMED COMMENCED ON THE DATE DEFENDANT FIRST APPEARS IN COURT AS INSTRUCTED IN THE APPEARANCE TI
In New York, in cases involving non-criminal offenses (violations), misdemeanors and most E felonies, instead of formally arresting the defendant, the police can issue that defendant an appearance ticket directing him to appear in a designated local criminal court on a designated date and at a designated time. [See NY…
LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT – WHAT MUST YOU REPORT?
New York VTL §600 requires that anyone operating a vehicle who is involved in an incident involving that vehicle that knows or has reason to know that damage was caused to property or injury was caused to a person to stop and exhibit their information at the scene of the…
NEW YORK LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT
New York criminal law firm Tilem & Campbell has just added a new Leaving the Scene of an Accident page to its already extensive website. Leaving the Scene on an Incident (as its called in New York Vehicle & Traffic Law §600) cases in New York can be among the…
IN NEW YORK, THE PROSECUTION IS REQUIRED TO MAKE AN “ADEQUATE” OPENING STATEMENT WHICH DELINEATES THE PARTICULAR OFFENSES CHARGED AND HOW THEY WILL BE PROVEN. IF THE PROSECUTION FAILS TO MAKE AN “ADEQUATE” OPENING STATEMENT – THEY GET A “DO O
At Tilem & Campbell our lawyers have the trial experience to take cases to trial when plea bargaining proves to be non-productive. Criminal defense lawyers need not make an opening statement at trial. However, in a New York State criminal trial, the prosecution “must deliver an opening address to the…
ONLY THE PROSECUTOR CAN PLEA BARGAIN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. JUDGES THAT TRY TO INFLUENCE OTHER JUDGES ON TRAFFIC TICKETS OR REDUCE TRAFFIC TICKETS WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PROSECUTOR CAN BE REMOVED FROM THEIR POSITION AS A JUDGE. [Matter of Reedy, 64 N.Y
In New York, unless your traffic ticket is returnable to the Traffic Violations Bureau, you will most likely be offered a chance for you or your traffic court attorney to conference your ticket with the prosecutor. At this conference the prosecutor usually offers to reduce the charge to something with…
FINGERPRINTING OF A DEFENDANT WHOSE COURT ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN SECURED BY THE ISSUANCE AND SERVICE OF A SUMMONS BASED UPON AN INFORMATION OR MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT FILED BY A COMPLAINANT WHO IS NOT A POLICE OFFICER IS DISCRETIONARY. [CPL 130.60]
As explained in a prior blog, New York State law requires, with some limited exceptions, that an individual be fingerprinted when he is arrested for (1) a felony; (2) a misdemeanor defined in the New York State Penal Law; (3) a misdemeanor defined outside the New York State Penal Law…
TILEM & CAMPBELL PARTNER QUOTED IN TODAY’S NEW YORK TIMES
Tilem & Campbell senior partner Peter H. Tilem was quoted in today’s New York Times in the article about the Federal Investigation into the tragic bus crash that killed 15 people over the weekend. There has been much speculation about whether or not the driver will be charged with a…
IN A STUNNING ASSAULT ON FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS – JURY NULLIFICATION PROPONENT WAS INDICTED IN NEW YORK
In what appears to be a stunning assault on first amendment rights, a proponent of a concept called “jury nullification” has been indicted in New York for charges relating to jury tampering. Jury nullification, a term familiar to most experienced criminal lawyers refers to a controversial legal principle in which…