Earlier this year, Bucks County President Judge David W. Heckler and Court Administration announce that magisterial district boundaries in Bensalem and Middletown Townships have been realigned by order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, effective January 7, 2008. Bensalem Twp. now will be served by Magisterial District Courts 07-1-12 (new court located at 3237 Bristol [...]

The New Jersey Criminal Division of the courts released a handy manual setting forth vast information regarding the process of criminal matters in New Jersey.   This handbook can help all people involved in a criminal case.  The handbook is focused on the procedure regarding an indictable criminal offense.    Most people who come into contact with NJ’s [...]

Law enforcement in New Jersey is now questioning individuals who are suspected of drunk driving (DUI-DWI) as to: Where they were drinking alcohol? How many alcoholic drinks they had? and What kind of drinks they had? A 2007 NJ Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive mandates that New Jersey police ask these questions after they have [...]

In NJ, an underage drinker must now submit to a breath sample for chemical testing. If they refuse, they will be subject to the DWI-DUI Refusal penalties which include: Loss of license Fines I.D.R.C. Insurance Point (even though there was no driving) Surcharges of $1,000 per year for 3 years Possible enhancements (school zone)   [...]

In the United States of America, a person accused of a crime, including a motor vehicle violation is presumed innocent, until proven guilty. This is a basic premise in our Country. Our government, specifically the legislature sometimes attempts to erode this basic premise by passing laws which infringe upon it. New Jersey did it again [...]

Last week, the NJ Assembly initially passed a bill allowing local towns to install traffic cameras at NJ intersections. We are not sure what violations that local police can charge you with, other than a red light violations. Philadelphia has done this at many intersections through the city, including the Roosevelt Boulevard. The Roosevelt Boulevard [...]

This morning, on my way to work, I had two people tailgating me. Trust me, I was not going any slower then I needed to be. I was actually following the person in front of me at a safe distance. First, I had some guy tailgating me in an old beat-up car talking on the [...]

As you may know the State of New Jersey abolished the death penalty just in time to save a few people’s lives. Do you think this was an act of god or a dumb maneuver? NJ is the first state to abolish the death penalty since 1976. I know this is a controversial issue which [...]

Governor Corzine just signed into law an amendment to the recently enacted New Jersey cell phone law (N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.3) to become effective in 4 months. The law will be a “primary offense” meaning that a police officer may now immediately pull you over if he or she sees you operating a “wireless communication device” with [...]

During an initiative, which ran from August 17 through September 3, 2007, police agencies throughout the state conducted saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints as part of a national initiative designed to combat drunk driving during one of the busiest travel times of the year. A record 96 percent of New Jersey law enforcement agencies participated [...]

Yes you can. The new amendments to the NJ Municipal Court Rules finally standardize the plea by mail procedures and the court form to be used. In most traffic or parking offenses, a defendant may resolve the case by way of a guilty plea by mail or may plead not guilty and submit a written [...]

§ 3747 of the PA motor Vehicle Code requires the driver or owner of a vehicle involved in a PA accident to make report to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Even if the police do not investigate an accident, the driver of a vehicle which is in any manner involved in the PA accident shall, [...]

A Philadelphia man was killed a few weeks ago.   Actually, it wasn’t a man, it was a 15 year old teenager holding a iron (the kind you use on your clothes, not your tires).  The Philadelphia Police were called to the scene for an alleged domestic dispute.   The Philadelphia Police shot and killed the boy.  [...]

Is this ridiculous or not?   The town of Sea Girt, NJ has outlawed “drinking games” played on private property in public view.   Penalties include a $100 fine for a tenant and possibly the landlord. So, it appears that consenting drinking adults (of the legal age) who want to play a friendly game—without making any noise [...]

Governor Corzine just signed an amendment to NJ motor vehicle law (N.J.S.A. 39:3-17.1).   This law requires people who are now living or residing in New Jersey to register their vehicle with the State of NJ and get a NJ driver’s license within 60 days. The new part of this law adds more penalties.   A 3rd [...]

Can you believe this?   Several middle school students were issued tickets for jaywalking in Teaneck, New Jersey.   That’s not it—these students were then put into the back of police cars and brought back to school.  The local police said that they were looking out for the safety of the children.  It seems absurd that police [...]

A Formal Complaint was recently filed by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct of the Supreme Court of New Jersey against a certain NJ Municipal Court judge who presides in East Orange and Irvington Municipal Courts.  The Complaint alleges that this NJ Municipal Court judge met in her chambers “ex parte” (without the prosecutor’s presence, [...]

Bucks County, PA and Mercer County, NJ, local police and state troopers, along with all other PA and NJ police officers must state in their PA or NJ drinking and driving, under the influence DUI-DWI-DAI report the reasons for which the police officer pulled over the suspect and the reasons why he or she thinks [...]

New Jersey Lawyer Newspaper just reported that NJ State Troopers were trained on using unconstitutional tactics when stopping vehicles on NJ roads.  These NJ traffic stops led to illegal consent searches of the vehicles based on the wrong standards for evaluating a NJ driver’s behavior when pulled over by an NJ State Trooper.    There [...]

Last week, the NJ Attorney General set forth new guidelines for how NJ law enforcement should deal with criminal suspects that are in this country illegally.  Now, any NJ police officer who arrests someone for a serious type offense including any indictable crime or NJ DUI-DWI must inquire about the arrestee’s citizenship, nationality, and immigration [...]