An arrest for any criminal offense – regardless of whether a person is ultimately charged, prosecuted and convicted or not – generally involves having a mug shot taken. It’s not unreasonable to be concerned about what happens to that mug shot and whether it’s out there somewhere for anyone to potentially find online. Everyone has seen mug shots of celebrities, politicians and others taken decades ago (and some more recently). Does that mean a potential employer, partner, school, your children or someone who would like to use it to harm you can access your mug shot? A change in the Freedom of I ..read more

Driving is often an important part of independent living. A large percentage of working adults transport themselves to and from their jobs every day. Those with children or other dependent family members rely on their personal vehicles to meet the needs of their loved ones. However, while driving a vehicle may feel like a necessity, New York state treats it as a privilege. Only those who agree to certain rules and who meet certain standards can obtain a driver’s license and legally operate a motor vehicle on public roads. Even after getting a license, those accused of major traffic violations ..read more

As a nurse, a DUI charge could cause a significant interruption to your life. For instance, you could spend time in a New York jail or prison if convicted of the charge, and you could also lose your job if charged or convicted of DUI. Potential professional consequences The state nursing authorities will likely be notified about your case through either your employer or law enforcement. At that time, the board may decide to suspend or revoke your ability to work as a nurse. Even if this doesn’t happen, your employer may decide to terminate its relationship with you. It’s important to note that ..read more

According to a report on the Forbes website, there were 100,508 motor vehicle accidents in New York in 2022. More than 35,000 of those accidents involved a fatality or injury. Head and back injuries are the most common during car accidents. However, femur fractures can occur as well. The femur The femur is the bone that runs from your knee to your hip, the longest bone in the human body. Because of its size, the femur is at high risk of sustaining damage in motor vehicle accidents. The damage can occur to a driver, passenger or pedestrian hit by a vehicle. High impact The femur is one of the s ..read more

According to official statistics, about 3,000 road users die each year in New York and around the country in motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted drivers. That is approximately 8% of all road deaths in the United States. Many experts believe the true distracted driving death toll is much higher because distraction is hard for accident investigators to identify. The National Distracted Driving Coalition believes that between 25% and 30% of traffic accident fatalities are distraction-related. Distraction survey The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is a member of the NDDC, re ..read more

Authorities in New York may use the results of field sobriety tests as justification for taking drivers into custody for drunk or impaired driving. However, you will have an opportunity to challenge those results as part of your defense against a DUI charge. Equipment issues or officer errors may be sufficient grounds to have test results suppressed before or during a trial. How equipment issues may skew results If a Breathalyzer machine is improperly calibrated, it may falsely indicate that your blood alcohol level is higher than the legal limit. A Breathalyzer machine may also yield an inacc ..read more

New York teenagers are always excited to get their driver’s licenses. Although they’re anxious to hit the road on their own, as a parent, it’s natural for you to worry. This is understandable as teens face certain risks behind the wheel. Their lack of experience Teens are inexperienced behind the wheel, so they might not know how to react in certain situations like older drivers. This puts them at a much higher risk of an accident. This could happen even if they aced their road test. Distractions Distracted driving is a big problem for everyone, but teens are particularly susceptible to the da ..read more

Penalties for heroin possession, sale, and trafficking are severe in the state of New York. This is due to the increased activity that has recently been noted. Both possession and sale of heroin remain a felony, as is trafficking in this type of controlled substance. This is the case under New York state law as well as federal law. Penalties in New York for heroin possession You will need to formulate a credible strategy of criminal defense after being charged with the possession of heroin. Possession of over 500 mg counts as a Class D felony. Possession of over 1/8 of an ounce is a Class C fe ..read more

Nobody expects to be pulled over and arrested for a DUI in New York. It’s important to know that it could help your case if the police make mistakes when doing so. These are very common. Making a stop without probable cause Police officers always need reasonable suspicion to stop a driver. This means there should be an issue such as a broken headlight or taillight, erratic driving, a license plate half off or some other noticeable reason to pull the person over. If there is nothing and the officer suddenly arrests the person for DUI, the case would be thrown out. Stopping a driver for slow spe ..read more

Although it’s not advisable to drive in winter weather conditions, sometimes you have to. You only have to make a few small adjustments to your driving habits to stay safe on the road. Make sure your vehicle is properly prepared This includes checking your tires, brakes, and fluid levels. You should also check your windshield wipers and make sure they’re in good condition. If your car isn’t properly prepared for winter weather, you could be putting yourself at risk for a motor vehicle accident. Use caution when driving on slippery roads When the roads are icy, it’s important to take it slow. A ..read more