New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has issued a Directive to prosecutors statewide to waive mandatory minimum sentences for six non-violent drug offenses, including providing retroactive relief for currently incarcerated offenders, effective May 19, 2021. The offenses eligible for relief are: 2C:35-3 Leader of narcotics trafficking network 2C:35-4 Maintaining or operating a facility producing CDS … Read More

The number of Federal criminal sentencings were down more than 15%, from 76,538 in 2019 to 64,565 in 2020, due in large part to the COVID-related slowdowns in federal court proceedings and law enforcement agencies. Of the four largest categories of federal crimes, the prosecution of economic crimes such as fraud, theft, and embezzlement decreased … Read More

The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey announced that certain in-person criminal proceedings will resume beginning on April 5, 2021. Those proceedings will include grand jury proceedings, as well as first appearances, arraignments, plea hearings, and sentencings in which the defendant does not consent to a remote proceeding. In-person criminal jury trials … Read More

One year after the statewide COVID lockdown brought the administration of justice in New Jersey to a grinding halt, courts still are mostly limited to conducting proceedings remotely. However, in-person proceedings may resume before summer 2021. In the Federal system, the Chief Judge for District of New Jersey (“D.N.J.”) entered a series of orders which … Read More

In light of the recent enactment of marijuana decriminalization legislation and the Attorney General’s directive to prosecutors to dismiss certain cannabis-related charges immediately, the A.G.’ Office has issued a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding police procedures with respect to investigating and enforcing marijuana laws. “The smell of burnt (or raw) marijuana” frequently forms the … Read More

The decriminalization of marijuana in New Jersey took two significant steps forward as the Governor signed legislation which significantly liberalizes cannabis law and the Attorney General issued a directive to prosecutors to dismiss certain categories of marijuana offenses. On Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy signed the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act … Read More

In the corridors of Wall Street and at water coolers of large hedge funds you may hear the words “dumb money,“ a reference to money invested by the average retail customer. The hard-earned savings of middle class Americans invested with the hope of growth for retirement, college and the like. These dollars generally flow through … Read More

For many following the market, whether as regular investors, traders or enforcers, what is happening now with Gamestop trading is reminiscent of watching the OJ Simpson car chase from live-stream cameras above a highway in California. Something dramatic will happen but no one can say what or how. Hedge funds and Wall Street Institutions have … Read More

Federal Courts The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has lifted its stay on the empanelment of new grand juries in all three vicinages of New Jersey, and new grand juries are anticipated to begin convening this fall. The stay on criminal jury trials and trial jury empanelment has been continued through … Read More

In light of the national emergency due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), courts and law enforcement agencies at every level of Government have taken extraordinary actions: STATE OF NEW JERSEY ● The Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court has entered the Court’s Fifth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice. The … Read More