In many cases in which a defendant is charged with DWI, the bulk of the State’s evidence of the defendant’s guilt will consist of the results of breath tests taken shortly after the defendant was stopped by the police. Thus, if a defendant can prove that the test results are…
The New Jersey criminal courts are tasked with handling a high volume of cases each year. Thus, to cut down on unnecessary hearings, the court allows some people who are charged with less serious offenses to enter into the Pretrial Intervention Program (PTI), thereby avoiding a trial and conviction. The…
In DWI cases, the State’s evidence often includes the defendant’s statements and evidence of the defendant’s blood alcohol level. As such, if a defendant is able to prove that such evidence should be deemed inadmissible, it may greatly weaken the prosecution’s case, which increases the chance of obtaining a not…
While generally people charged with DWI offer a defense at trial, in some instances, it makes sense for a defendant to enter a guilty plea. Even if a defendant chooses not to contest the charges against him or her though, the court must take certain measures to ensure that the…
Under New Jersey law, if a DWI suspect declines to submit to a blood test, the police must obtain a warrant to conduct a blood draw. Thus, if blood is taken from a DWI suspect without consent or a warrant, it may constitute an unreasonable search and seizure in violation…
Many people incorrectly believe that a DWI charge is merely akin to a traffic offense and that they do not need to hire an attorney or retain knowledgeable counsel. The consequences of retaining an inexperienced lawyer were illustrated in a recent New Jersey DWI appeal, in which the defendant was…
Discovery is a critical part of any DWI case, as it allows the defendant to determine what evidence the state seeks to introduce at trial and helps prepare defenses to refute the implications of that evidence. Thus, if the state commits a discovery violation, it may greatly impact a defendant’s…
In New Jersey, both the State and the defendant have the right to examine witnesses at trial. Thus, in cases in which either party tries to admit an out of court statement in lieu of testimony, the statement may be barred under the confrontation clause. The parameters of the confrontation…
In New Jersey, prosecutors are appointed by local governing bodies. Thus, if a person is charged with a DWI offense, an attorney appointed by the municipality will typically be tasked with presenting the State’s evidence against the defendant. Even if another attorney represents the State in criminal proceedings, however, it…
In some instances in which a DWI accident is especially catastrophic and there was more than one person in the car at the time of the incident, it may not be clear who was driving. Thus, the State will likely have to determine who was driving and then who should…