If you have ever been pulled over for a traffic violation, you know the feeling of dread when you see those flashing lights in your rearview mirror. What happens, however, when the officer writes you a ticket for something you know you did not do? Dashboard cameras,...
Chatham Law Blog
What causes false breath analysis test results?
A few nights ago, New York police pulled you over for suspicion of drunk driving. The breath test results came back positive, but were they accurate? Alcohol Problems and Solutions explores what triggers false breath analysis test results. Determine the validity of...
Are ignition interlock devices mandatory in New York?
Ignition interlock devices can help cut down on drunk driving. These devices require you to take a test to prove you do not have alcohol in your system before you start your vehicle. If you do not pass the test, your vehicle will not start. Courts across the country...
How should you react to a speeding ticket?
No one wants to end up at the mercy of a patrolling officer while on the road. Unfortunately, many drivers just like you end up dealing with that exact scenario for various reasons. When an officer pulls you over and issues you a speeding ticket, do you know exactly...
How should you carry your medication outside your home?
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...
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...