NJ Law Blogs

Computer and internet crimes, also known as cybercrimes, refer to the illegal use of a computer or network.  The computer may be the target of a crime, or be used in the commission of criminal activity such as identity theft, distribution of child pornography and copyright infringement.  Th...

Alimony refers to financial support that is paid by one spouse to another in the event of a divorce.  It can be paid as a lump sum, or in systematic increments on a permanent basis or for a set duration of time. During the course of either spouse's life, there may be changes in circumsta...

When a juvenile is arrested for a criminal offense in New Jersey, the case is referred to the county Superior Court's Family Division where Juvenile Conference Committees and Intake Service Conferences are conducted as diversionary measures.  JCC's typically review minor offenses, and eithe...

Since having a car is often necessary for essential tasks such as going to and from work and taking your kids to school, you are likely to sympathize when a family member or friend loses their driving privileges.  You may even feel inclined to let them use your car, especially if they are f...

In late October of 2012, the State of New Jersey was devastated by the effects of Hurricane Sandy—the deadliest hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.  As of March 2014, the resulting damages were estimated to be over $68 billion, with most of the damage having occurred in the bea...

Classification of Marijuana Charges in New Jersey In New Jersey, possession of marijuana is an offense classified as either a disorderly persons offense (less than 50 grams) or an indictable crime (50 grams or more).  If you are not eligible for diversionary programs, such as conditional di...

When adopting a pet, you may not be thinking about the potential problems your new companion may cause with your insurance carrier.   But it is important to understand that you can be denied homeowner's insurance because of a dog or, more specifically, based upon the type of dog residing in your ...

Although drunk driving is responsible for over 30% of all auto fatalities in New Jersey, cell phone usage is another major source of car accidents, especially among teens.  Statistics by the New Jersey Department of Transportation show that in 2011, there were 3,244 car crashes as a result ...

Probation is defined as a period of time in which an offender is supervised by a probation officer, and required to meet certain conditions imposed by the courts.  The New Jersey Courts system uses probation as an alternative either for individuals who are facing incarceration.  An offender...

The Different Heroin Offenses Under New Jersey Law It is against the law for you to possess any amount of heroin in New Jersey. A person who is convicted of the possession of heroin, no matter how small the amount, is guilty of a crime of the third degree at the minimum.  If someone knowing...

If you have been charged with a first time disorderly persons offense in New Jersey, you may be eligible for diversionary programs, such as pretrial intervention or conditional discharge.   The latter option is a program that allows defendants charged with certain drug offenses to have thei...

The terms DWI and DUI in NJ both refer to the offense of driving under the influence of drugs or driving while intoxicated by alcohol.  In essence, both charges describe the same motor vehicle offense, under New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 39:4-50, with the only difference being the type of ...

Meeting and speaking with your attorney is like going to meet with your psychologist. In order to properly diagnose the situation, your attorney must be provided with all the important information that makes up your case. This relationship is important to make sure that the attorney has the...

A restraining order is an order that is issued by a court with the primary purpose to protect one person from another person.  A restraining order prohibits the party it is entered against from contacting or communicating with the individual on whose behalf the order is entered. There are s...

When two parties are involved in the same incident and require representation, an attorney is not prohibited from retaining both individuals as their client. Although you and a friend may both want the same attorney to provide your NJ criminal defense, this might not be such a great move. ...

In New Jersey, the possession of illegal drugs can result in jail time or having to pay large fines, which usually depends on the type of drug found and the amount of drug found in the person's possession. What about drugs that are prescribed to you by a doctor or a dentist? How can you car...

Today, the NJ child custody courts consider it very important to involve both divorced parents with the life of the child (or children). The emphasis is to preserve and build the special relationship between parent and child even after a divorce because it is in the best interests of the ch...

Dog bites account for an alarming amount of injuries to people: physical injuries, emotional injuries and financial injuries.  In 2013, according to a State Farm Insurance and Insurance Information Institute report about dog bite claims: 4.5 million people were bitten by dogs in the United Sta...

The specifics about whether one parent or both parents can make medical decisions regarding a child's medical care are included in the divorce agreement.  Also relevant in the divorce agreement are when the parent can make these medical decisions for the minor child. If you are already d...

The field of personal injury involves a harm that occurs to the body, emotions or mind of an individual. The umbrella of personal injury law involves so many different types of accidents and claims that can be filed. Claims that fall within the personal injury umbrella include: automobile acciden...

A person's arrest for the recreational use or possession of marijuana, hash or drug paraphernalia can have a better outcome in the court through grant of a “conditional discharge” under New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 2C:36A-1.  This law allows the municipal judge to grant a conditional dischar...

Villani & DeLuca divorce lawyer and partner, Vincent C. DeLuca has gained admission into the American Society of Legal Advocates.  Mr. DeLuca is among less than 2% of the nation's licensed attorneys to become a member of this invitation-only American Society of Legal Advocates group. The...

It's everyone's favorite time of year… tax time. If you have recently gone through a divorce, it may be unclear as to how that will affect your tax filing this year. Your marital status for tax purposes is determined based on the last day of the year—December 31. If you were divorced as...

Recent Spike in Drug Overdoses in New Jersey In the past few years, both heroin and prescription drug abuse have risen dramatically in New Jersey.  There were 112 drug-related deaths in Ocean County alone in 2013, and a total of 700 opiate overdose deaths since 2009.  The State Commission o...

Did you know that Canada has strict laws about allowing those with prior convictions for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to enter the country? An American citizen may be considered inadmissible with a prior DWI or other alcohol-related conviction. This is in stark cont...