Many people first learn that they have a default judgment from NJ Special Civil Part when they receive a notice of wage garnishment out of the blue one day, or visit an ATM machine and find their account drained by the judgment creditor. Or perhaps you’ve found the house of your dreams and submitted a contract to purchase, only to find via the title search that an old judgment is “parked” in court against you....
From default judgment to settled for 50% discount!
I’ve written previously about “debt & credit card consolidation” companies that advertise heavily on the radio (although lately, if you listen to AM radio, you’ve likely noticed that the “my pillow” guy hardly lets any other advertisers get a word in edgewise- I wonder if it might be more economical for him to simply purchase his own radio station and thus assure himself 24/7/365 ad coverage). At any rate, I settled a client’s case this week...
NJ Supreme Court’s new Expungement ruling
On August 10, 2015, The NJ Supreme Court delivered new rulings on a pair of expungement cases (click the link below): http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/no_clean_slate_for_those_who_commit_related_crimes.html#incart_river I am disappointed in this decision, although the article does a poor job of explaining the expungement statute and what exactly the Court’s decision means in reality. However, the reporter cannot be blamed too much, since New Jersey’s expungement statute is a poorly-written, complicated, and confusing “legalese” hodgepodge that in my opinion requires...
A DWI as a passenger? Meet NJSA 39:4-50(a) , aka the “letting friends drive drunk” law
So you’ve had a “few too many” at a bar or party, and don’t want to risk a DWI. So you hand your friend your car keys, since they had less to drink than you, or maybe said they were “good to drive.” Everyone has that buddy that can “hold ’em” and be fine, right? A few minutes after pulling on to the road, the red lights go on behind you and you’re pulled over...
NJ Possession of Heroin Lawyer 2C:35-10A(1)
Depending on the New Jersey county in which you are arrested, your charge of Possession of Heroin may be handled in Superior (Criminal) Court, or possibly remanded to Municipal Court. Heroin possession is a 3rd degree felony in New Jersey, and carries a possible sentence of 3 to 5 years in prison. Your best defense to a charge of 2C:35-10A(1) is to retain an experienced NJ defense attorney as early as possible. My number is 908-782-5313 if...
Possession of Marijuana 2C:35-10A(4) and Paraphernalia 2C:36-2 Municipal Court Lawyer
So you’ve been busted smoking some pot, and charged with the “sister” offenses of Possession of Marijuana 2C:35-10A(4) and Drug Paraphernalia 2C:36-2 ? The good news is that both of these charges are misdemeanors in NJ, although NJ does not use the term “misdemeanor” but rather “disorderly persons offense.” Feel free to call me at 908-782-5313 for a free case analysis and consultation about your case. I call these two charges (possession and paraphernalia) the...
Debt & Credit Card Consolidation Scams – Want to Waste your Money?
“Consolidate” your credit card debt away- guess again! Lately, the radio is saturated with “debt relief” ads that brag “you have the right to settle your credit card debt for a fraction of what you owe” and other enticing sales pitches. Often they brag or intimate that they have inside information, new programs, “secrets the credit cards companies don’t want you to know” and other such snake-oil hogwash. My advice is to turn off the radio...
NJ DWI “Mythbusters” question and answer
Below is a helpful “Mythbusters” style Q & A that presents and answers common questions many of my clients ask about DUI/DWI law cases in New Jersey. For more information, call 908-782-5313 today for a FREE consultation about your case: Myth: “My (brother/cousin/uncle/roommate/co-worker/friend at the bar) told me that if I hired Lawyer X he will beat my DWI, and that my Breathlyzer reading will be thrown out for ______ reason, and so on and...
Hunterdon County DWI Law
For many of my clients in Hunterdon or Somerset County, a DWI/DUI charge is their first experience with the criminal justice system. Often I receive a “morning after” call on a Sunday morning, and listen to clients who are embarrassed, humiliated, and angry about their DWI/DUI arrest. Many areas of Hunterdon (such as Lambertville, Clinton, Flemington, and Raritan Township) have aggressively stepped up DWI enforcement over the past 5 years. The legal threshold for DWI...
Americredit Financial Services suit on repo GM Finanical car
A word of warning: If you are facing repossession of an automobile in NJ, and intend to voluntarily “surrender” the vehicle to the fianance company rather than have it hooked in the middle of the night by the “repo man”, make sure to get in writing from the finance company a “waiver of deficiency judgment” BEFORE you surrender the vehicle and fork over the car keys! I have lately had several clients retain me...