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In the United States, the many criminal cases never go to trial, which is either due to the prosecution dropping the charges or the case ending with a plea agreement. According to the The Basics of a Plea Agreement A plea agreement, also known as a plea bargain, is an agreement between the prosecution and the defendant in a criminal case. In exchange for a guilty plea from the defendant, the prosecution agrees to...

Many people who are accused of committing a criminal offense are not familiar with the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. A clause included in the Fifth Amendment is designed to protect those who are accused from being coerced to implicate themselves in criminal situations. The "Miranda warning" was established in Miranda v. Arizona by the Supreme Court in 1966. This means that under certain conditions law enforcement officers are required to notify those...

When a college student receives a Title IX complaint, it can be stressful for both the student and parents, who may not be aware of what this means. This federal law prohibits discrimination in Greek organizations, sports, extracurricular clubs, and other educational activities and programs. If you are wondering what to do when your child receives a Title IX complaint, you may want to consider reaching out to The Forrester Law Firm at 609-613-1513 to...

Allegations of drug possession in New Jersey should be taken seriously, as the penalties for a conviction are harsh. When facing drug possession charges, it is natural to feel frightened and overwhelmed. Will you face jail time, or be required to pay hefty fines? The fact is a conviction on drug possession charges can result in far more damage than fines and jail or prison time. Criminal convictions can affect a person’s livelihood, impact the...

Pranks and Dares: Understanding Criminal Mischief Criminal mischief in New Jersey is an offense that can leave those convicted facing serious punishment. Whether spray painting someone’s garage door, firing paintballs at private or public property, or other types of vandalism, criminal mischief may involve pranks that are done on a dare, intentional actions, or even by accident in some cases. Those who have been charged with criminal mischief may want to consider scheduling a free...

If you’ve seen your share of episodes of Law & Order, or any show like it, you may be able to recite these words by heart You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. You might hear those sentences and think of...

Being charged with a criminal offense is almost always a stressful situation from the start but at some point a person facing a charge will spend time considering how to avoid the worst possible consequences of whatever the particular offense in question is. Avoiding incarceration if possible is a fairly universal goal, but the primary objective may be to avoid a felony conviction altogether—especially if the person charged does not have a criminal record. When...

Last week was an exceptionally busy one for news, so you may easily have missed it, but on April 19th, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General announced a The new AG directive removes mandatory minimum sentences from 6 particular CDS (“controlled dangerous substances”) offenses: 2C:35-3 2C:35-4 2C:35-5 2C:35-6 2C:35-7 within 1,000 feet of a school 2C:35-8 To begin with, a quick vocabulary lesson. Many people use the words “jail” and “prison” interchangeably,...

What’s My Bail? Even if you've devoured every episode of Law & Order ever made, there's a legal evolution in New Jersey that might have slipped under your radar. Since the inception of the Criminal Justice Reform Act (CJRA) in January 2017, the classic "Bail is set at..." declaration is a relic of the past in the Garden State. Shifting Away from Cash Bail In the pre-CJRA days, individuals facing charges in New Jersey attended...