In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first two U.S. jurisdictions to legalize the recreational use of marijuana (cannabis) at the state level. Over the last decade, many other states have followed, including New Jersey. On Nov. 3, 2020, New Jersey voters strongly supported Public Question 1 — an amendment to the state’s constitution that …
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Read MoreEvery state has self-defense laws that allow individuals who are threatened to utilize reasonable force to defend themselves or others and to escape criminal liability for their utilization of force. However, each state has its specific rules that govern the use of force in self-defense, and using force beyond the bounds of the laws of …
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Read MoreA new study showed that the crime rate in the Garden State is reducing and the number of state prison inmates is also decreasing. New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice released a report which shows: New Jersey’s prison population has decreased 26 percent since 2000 The overall crime rate reduced almost 30 percent during …
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Read MoreThis poignant quote from Washington Township, NJ, assemblyman Paul Moriarty comes on the heels of New Jersey’s new law that requires all police patrol vehicles to be equipped with dashboard cameras. Moriarty was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in 2012, but the charge was later dismissed when evidence from the patrol vehicle camera footage …
Read MoreFollowing the tragic suicide of bullied teen Tyler Clementi in 2010, the New Jersey Legislature found that the percentage of students bullied in all of New Jersey is higher than the national median. Our lawmakers took action, and Governor Chris Christie intended for the new anti-bullying law, which was passed in 2011, to be one …
Read MoreMuch has been said about the graphic video recently released showing a physical altercation in an Atlantic City casino elevator last February between the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice and his wife, Janay Rice – but many are left scratching their heads as to why he’s not in jail after such an attack. Did …
Read MoreAt the Law Office of Matthew V. Portella, LLC, we have fought for the rights of criminal defendants in New Jersey since 1994. We take a highly personalized approach to the practice of law, focusing on minimizing the consequences of an arrest or prosecution, but also striving to calm your fears and anxiety about the …
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