Steven J. Richardson | March 26, 2010
As a general rule of traffic court, all fines and penalties levied by the court are due and payable that day. However, defendants are often given time to pay in a pre-approved payment plan. But what happens if you don’t pay? What can the court do to you? Well, according to changes made at the [...]
Steven J. Richardson | March 23, 2010
New Jersey is one of 48 states that has adopted a “Move Over” law. This is a law that protects police and other emergency services vehicles on the shoulder of the road either rendering aid or enforcing the traffic laws. On the books in other states for many years, it wasn’t until 2009 that New [...]
Steven J. Richardson | March 19, 2010
Most people don’t realize the impact that guilty pleas to traffic tickets can have down the road. The figure they paid their fines, took their medicine, and it is over. Unfortunately, that is not always true. The situation to which I refer is where a traffic ticket is issued as a result of an accident. [...]
Steven J. Richardson | March 16, 2010
Many people contact my office with a speeding ticket or other traffic offense that carries motor vehicle points looking to avoid them, if possible. The solution is the “unsafe operation” statute, but ironically, that is not the only (or necessarily best) course of action. Believe it or not, sometimes taking the hit on the points [...]
Steven J. Richardson | March 8, 2010
The Miranda warning has become a familiar concept by anyone who has watched television over the past 40 years. “You have the right to remain silent . . . “ Once you become a suspect, the police must give you this warning before continuing with questioning. If you ask for a lawyer, they must stop [...]