A recent interaction with New York police almost resulted in a drug possession charge. You have a prescription for a controlled substance, but the way you carried it on you made police think you possessed the substance illegally. How do you keep this from happening...
Chatham Law Blog
Going over examples of drug paraphernalia
If you are facing drug charges, there are many different ways in which the outcome of the case could impact your future. Aside from paying steep financial penalties, spending time behind bars and suffering damage to your reputation, you could encounter other...
What signals to an officer a driver may be drunk?
When a law enforcement officer pulls you over for suspected drunk driving, he or she must have some reasonable cause to do so. Generally, this will be evidence gathered by watching your actions as you drive. MADD explains there are various ways you could signal you...
What to know about a Class A drug possession charge
Drug possession charges under New York law vary based on the drug type and amounts. Criminal drug possession in the seventh degree is a Class A misdemeanor. It occurs if you knowingly and unlawfully have a controlled substance in a quantity that does not warrant a...
Breaking down New York’s self-defense law
Like many people in New York, you may view another's claim that (in response to accusations of assault) they were only acting in self-defense with a certain degree of skepticism. That is, of course, until you end up in a position where you feel compelled to defend...
What are some tips to avoiding traffic tickets?
If you do not speed, you will not get a speeding ticket. However, going over the posted speed limit is a common occurrence. Most people feel comfortable driving 5 mph over the limit, and law enforcement will usually not stop you at that speed. However, the law does...
What should you know about breath analysis tests?
In New York, crash cases involving alcohol maintain a high percentage despite other changes in crash patterns. In 2018 alone, roughly 30 percent of all car crashes were related to alcohol in some way. This saw a 3.6 percent decrease from the previous year, but that...
What are assault and battery in New York?
The phrase, “You are under arrest for assault and battery'' is very commonplace in American crime dramas. In fact, people hear this phrase so often that they believe that assault and battery are the same things. The reality is that this is different between states. In...
What should you know about driver’s license points?
When you get a traffic ticket, you may not always consider the wider ramifications. A conviction for a traffic violation may cause you to earn points on your driver's license. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the point system allows the...
What do you do if police knock on your door?
Having police at your door is a stressful experience no matter what. Despite what anyone may say about having no reason to feel nervous if you are not guilty, there is plenty of reason to be wary when interacting with law enforcement. It is important to know your...
