Federal Criminal Defense
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is an anti-corruption law aimed at American companies that operate in international markets. When it was passed in 1977, the FCPA was the first law to make both individuals and corporations civilly and criminally liable for corruption crimes committed outside of the country. The FCPA prohibits U.S. companies and/or…
Read MoreWhy hire a criminal defense lawyer?
If you have been arrested or charged with committing a criminal offense, then you need the assistance of a criminal defense attorney. Unfortunately, many people in this situation hesitate at first for reasons like the following: They don’t think they can afford professional representation They think they can get the charges dropped by telling their…
Read MoreSelecting the best criminal defense attorney for you
If you are found guilty of a criminal offense, then the potential consequences can be severe. They include jail time, fines, possible forfeiture of property, and a criminal record that will cause problems for you long after authorities decide that your debt to society has been paid. With so much at stake, you need to…
Read MoreWhat can we learn from California’s proposed ransomware law?
In some instances, laws can be very specific, leaving a judge with little room for interpretation. In other instances, a law can be surprisingly vague. Sometimes, over time, and as societies and their technologies evolve, laws may end up being interpreted differently. This is often the case with the penal law. One notable area is…
Read MoreVoter fraud in New York
Voter fraud is a form of illegal interference with the electoral process. It comes in a variety of forms, including: Impersonating a registered voter Intimidating someone into voting as directed Fraudulent voter registrations Bribing voters and election officials to produce the desired result Destroying ballots that have already been cast Equally varied are the New…
Read MoreWhat to do if you are facing criminal scam charges
Scams are relatively common across the country these days, especially as the reliance on technology and the Internet has increased. In fact, the capture of personal data using electronic methods has impacted dozens of people over the course of the past year alone. Scams can range from minor to serious, with criminal charges a strong…
Read MoreFalse Claims Act
Also known as the “Lincoln Law,” the False Claims Act is a federal law that penalizes those who defraud government programs. In addition to providing up to treble damages in a pro-plaintiff verdict, the Act delivers upwards of up to 30% of recoveries. It has been described as the single most important resource American taxpayers…
Read MoreFederal drug crimes v. state drug crimes
Most drug arrests in New York State are carried out by local law enforcement, but under certain circumstances, a drug crime can become a federal matter. These circumstances include: The accused person had a large enough quantity of drugs in their possession to be charged with trafficking A federal officer makes the arrest The offense…
Read MoreOfficials push for “Blue Lives Matter” laws
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and New Jersey State Senator Joseph Kyrillos (R-Middletown, NJ) both want to classify police slayings as hate crimes. Sen. Kyrillos’s proposal would elevate simple assault to aggravated assault if defendants target police officers simply because of their occupation. Other laws already offer similar protections “based on race, on religion, on…
Read MoreHow does jury selection work?
The U.S. Constitution guarantees a defendant the right to trial by jury in both civil and criminal proceedings. In New York State, a jury pool is drawn from the following resources: Registered voter lists Names on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles Income tax filers Unemployment or family assistance recipients Volunteers Criminal felony trials…
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