Month: May 2023

Cyberbullying has become more prominent in recent years, leaving many states looking for ways to curb the behavior. In New Jersey, you can actually be charged with a crime if you are accused of cyberbullying. If you or your child are charged and you believe that the accusations are false, you can fight back with the help of a Bergen County, New Jersey criminal defense lawyer. What Can Be Considered Cyberbullying? A broad range of behaviors can be considered cyberbullying. You can be accused of bullying if you: Send harassing text messages Text someone threats of bodily harm Threaten bodily harm or property damage over a social media app Send social media messages designed to cause emotional harm Purposely spreading messages or images that will cause distress for another person What Are the Punishments for Cyberbullying in New Jersey? The punishment for cyberbullying can actually be rather harsh. The state of New Jersey takes these incidents seriously, often charging bullies with cyber-harassment or cyberstalking if their behavior has risen to a certain level. This can be a fourth-degree offense, carrying penalties of: Up to 18 months in prison A fine of $10,000 The penalties can also increase depending on certain […]

When you apply for a mortgage, you are required to disclose a lot of different information. If it looks like you have lied or omitted something from your application in an attempt to secure a loan that you should not receive, you can be accused of fraud. If you are charged with mortgage fraud, you need someone who can advocate for you and fight for your interests. It may be time to hire a Bergen County, New Jersey theft lawyer. What Are the Types of Mortgage Fraud? There are two general types of mortgage fraud, and both carry heavy penalties. You can be charged with mortgage fraud for profit, which is when you enter into some scheme to defraud a lender and somehow make money out of the deal. A common example is using an appraiser who would falsely value a property at a higher price than they should. Then a mortgage lender gives an applicant far more money than they should, and then the excess money can be split among those who participated in the scheme. There is also mortgage fraud to obtain housing. An applicant can lie about their income, their job, their title, or whether or not […]

Sometimes a charge can get expunged from your record, which means that it will no longer come up on most background or employment checks. Sometimes people meet with a Bergen County, New Jersey DUI lawyer at our firm and ask if they can get their previous DUI charge expunged. Unfortunately, we never have good news for them. You cannot expunge a DUI or DWI in New Jersey. Why Can’t My DUI Be Expunged? The only kind of charges that can be expunged in New Jersey are criminal offenses. DUI and DWI charges are not considered to be criminal offenses. They are traffic offenses, so they cannot be expunged from your record. This can be worrying for many people. A DUI staying on your record can cause a variety of problems. What Issues Can This Charge Cause? One of the biggest problems with having a DUI charge on your record is that getting stopped for another offense can carry even harsher penalties. The state of New Jersey takes such charges seriously, so it continues to pile on the punishments if it looks like a driver is going to be a repeat offender. On a second or third offense, you could be […]

If you are charged for bribery in the state of New Jersey, you can be sure that the proposed punishments will be harsh. You could be facing years in prison or fines that cost thousands of dollars. Instead of standing alone against these charges, you should contact a Bergen County, New Jersey criminal defense lawyer who can help you fight them. How Will I Be Punished for Bribery? The punishment for bribery has a lot to do with how much the bribe was or how much the benefit can be valued at. The higher the cost, the worse the penalties are going to be. There are different degrees of bribery charges, starting with: Fourth degree: The lowest bribery charge is a fourth degree crime. If the benefit was less than $1,000 you can be sent to prison for 18 months. Fines can rise as high as $10,000. Third degree: The third degree criminal offense is reserved for cases where the benefit was worth over $1,000, but less than $75,000. Prison sentences for those convicted can last three to five years. Fines can cost them up to $15,000. Second degree: The highest charge is for situations where the value of the […]

If you are charged with a DUI when operating a commercial vehicle, the penalties are likely to be harsh. If your CDL is on the line, you need to make it a priority to defend yourself and avoid a conviction. A Bergen County, New Jersey DUI lawyer from our firm can be of assistance. How Can CDL Holders Be Punished for a DUI? Drivers with commercial driver’s licenses are often held to an extremely high standard. The vehicles they drive are likely to be larger and far heavier than many of the other cars found on the road. An accident involving a commercial vehicle can result in terrible injuries or even deaths. Because of this, the penalties for a DUI are going to be quite severe, even when it is a first offense. If you have a CDL and are found operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08%, your punishments can include: $250-400 in fines Up to 30 days in jail A three-month suspension of your basic driver’s license A one-year suspension of your CDL A first offense where the driver blows a 0.10% BAC or more can extend that basic license suspension to a year and […]