It is part of the modern condition to connect via a digital device. Calling people is now secondary to texting, posting on social media, finding a gas station, or the hundreds of other uses owners find for their device. One part of that communication that has evolved...
Sex Crimes
Child pornography misunderstandings in the modern age
People use social media to share their lives with their friends and family. New parents and grandparents post endless pictures of their children or grandchildren. With the changes that social media has gone through in recent years, innocent people have been flagged...
What does Tier 3 sex offender classification mean?
On October 31, 1994, New Jersey enacted Megan’s Law. Named for Megan Kanke, the seven-year-old victim of rape and murder, the law establishes sex offender registration and community notification rules. Additional internet registration provisions were added in 2001....
Ensuring reliability of child sex assault victim testimony
Children are suggestible. They don't always tell the truth, especially if they think telling another story will keep them from getting into deeper trouble. Sometimes they just haven't developed a vocabulary that allows them to express exactly what they want to say....
What aspects of my past might be used against me?
New Jersey notable, Thomas Edison, is credited with inventing the light bulb. It didn't happen overnight. Supposedly, it took about 10,000 tries. When asked about that record, he said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Edison learned...
Sex offense registration laws can mean layers of jurisdiction
Sex offenses, especially those committed against children, spark social outrage. It's understandable. Such cases are shocking and among the most common dealt with by New Jersey courts. It's easy to see why popular opinion might slant toward taking anyone charged with...
Are lie detector tests reliable or not?
The polygraph machine has been around since the early part of the last century. Despite early claims about how the so-called lie detector could use physiological measurements of a subject to determine if he or she is lying, results have always been questionable. The...
In some sex crime cases, proving intent may not be required
Intent is usually an important element when it comes to prosecuting a case. If the state has evidence that can prove that a defendant clearly intended to commit a crime, it's likely that a more serious charge with more serious penalties will be pursued. Experienced...
Child pornography isn’t protected speech in New Jersey law
Obscenities are not protected free speech under the Constitution of the United States. The Supreme Court made that clear in 1957. What has remained less clear since then is just what can be considered obscene and thus illegal. According to that 1957 decision, the...