In this short video, Bergen County attorney (in divorce, family, criminal, employment law) Eric J. Aretsky explains why it is a good idea to have an attorney represent you in your municipal court case. Eric Aretksy touches on what you can expect from the municipal court process, including the plea bargain process, what to expect in an initial consultation with your attorney, attorney retention, entering your not guilty plea, entering a discovery,and when you might move to a trial, if necessary. He describes the consequences you could be facing for a municipal traffic or criminal violation, including increased insurance premiums, or jail time in the case of criminal charges. If you have been arrested on a criminal charge including DUI, possession with intent to sell, white collar crimes, burglary, assault, or any of a range of other crimes, and you are going before the municipal court, you will want to have an attorney to represent you. Contact us for no cost, no obligation consultation:

Aretsky & Aretsky Attorneys at Law 3 University Plaza Dr. Hackensack, NJ 07601 201-580-3411 aretskylawfirm@optimum.net https://www.aretsky-law.com/

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The state of New Jersey does not mess around with texting and driving. Not only is it illegal to text when driving but if you knowingly text a person when they are driving you might find yourself in court too. The fact is that no matter your age, ones reaction time is delayed when they are distracted. We just can’t really do two things at once. So the question is “Are cell phones truly a distraction?” There is a growing concern about teenagers texting and driving. However, studies have shown that adults are texting just as much or more. Adults log more hours on the road. They use their so called down time or drive time for working and connecting with friends and family. 

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According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University’s Texas Transportation Institute found on AutoTrader.com cell phones are a distraction. Participants were asked to stop when they saw a flashing yellow light. Those who drove the course without texting responded to the signal in two seconds. But when the driver was texting, the response time was extended by three to four seconds. Additionally, the texting driver was 11 times more likely to miss the flashing light altogether. The 3-4 second lag time in the actual driving study is significant because in that period at highway speeds one can travel the length of a football field. Read the full report.  We all think we can do two things at once. The reality is that our mind switches back and forth between the two tasks. Sometimes so quickly that it almost seems as if we are doing two things at the same time. Take the test on the video below to see if you can really do two things at a time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4 After taking the test how confident are you about driving and texting, no matter your age and driving ability.  

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For additional information about texting and driving laws in New Jersey click here. If you are in need of a lawyer due to texting and driving contact the the Law Offices of Aretsky & Aretsky . 

The New Jersey traffic laws may seem silly to you, but they are in place for a reason: mainly, your safety and the safety of others.

Most people do not give much thought to receiving a speeding ticket. Even though you know you shouldn’t be speeding, we have all been guilty of justifying our need to break the rules:

• Worried about getting written up for being late to work (again!)
• Afraid of missing an important appointment
• Needing to get the kids to school on time
• Traffic delayed you – now you must make up the time

You probably felt inconvenienced by being pulled over, and figure all you need to do now is pay for it and move on. But is that all there is to it? No. People often don’t realize the long lasting effects a moving violation can have on a person’s:

• Insurance rates
• Driving record
• Employment opportunities
• Induce Deportation

In addition to the ticket fine you will be required to pay, you probably already know that getting a moving violation will get points on your driving record, which will end up causing your auto insurance rates to jump up. In tough economic times we’re facing today, every penny counts, so why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to have someone to represent you in this matter? You may have never even considered contacting a traffic lawyer before, and assumed that everyone just goes to court on their own. At Aretsky & Aretsky in Bergen County, our traffic defense lawyers have extensive knowledge and experience of traffic laws that everyday citizens know nothing about. While paying a little extra each month on your auto insurance may not really bother you too much, consider the effect this traffic ticket could have on your driving record. According to the New Jersey DMV website: “A certified driver history record abstract lists all accidents, violations and actions (including, but not limited to suspensions, points credits, fee payments and restorations) incurred by a motorist.” Since this is a public document, anyone can access your driving history. And do you know who cares about your traffic violations? Present and future employers – especially if the job you hold or are seeking requires any work hours behind the wheel. In addition, if you are ever in a legal trial of any kind, lawyers can access this document and use any of the information against you. And what if you live here illegally? In a recent article on NJ.com, it was reported that in New Jersey alone, illegal immigrants without a criminal record are more likely to get deported compared to the rest of the U.S. This same article reported that one man who lived and worked here illegally was driving with a suspended license, without any prior criminal record and was facing deportation. These are major issues that do not need to be dealt with on your own. Contact the law offices of Aretsky & Aretsky at (201) 996-0234 or email us today for a free consultation. Let us hear the details of your particular situation, and we’ll come up with a plan together.

You will also want to read New Jersey Driving and Texting Law Update 2013.

A recent article was written to address updated laws to address the growing problem of driving and texting related accidents on the road. New Jersey is steadily moving to become the toughest state on distracted drivers, specifically aimed at those who continue to text while driving. As of March 21, S69 was sent to Governor Chris Christie for his approval. The state of New Jersey has gone as far as to adopt a law allowing “full prosecution of cell phone users if they drive recklessly and cause serious harm or death. Penalties would include prison time and fines up to $150,000, similar to drunken driver punishments.” Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, who signed the measure in July of 2012 stated, “If you wouldn’t drink and drive you shouldn’t text and drive.” Texting and driving is more lethal than drinking and driving. In late 2012, Forbes posted an online article about the mind blowing statistics related to texting and car accidents. Texting while driving…

1. Causes 11 teen deaths EVERY DAY
2. Causes 25% of all accidents, totally 1.6M per year (Nat’l Safety Council)
3. Causes 330,000 injuries per year (Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study)
4. Is 6x more dangerous than driving while intoxicated (NHTSB)
5. Is still legal in 11 states to text while driving; only 10 fully prohibit cell phones while driving
6. Is not a teen-only problem with 47% of adults admitting to texting while driving (Washington Post, May 2012)

Depending upon the specific incident that resulted from texting and driving at the same time, you will need to hire an attorney who can represent you. The laws vary from state to state, but the bottom line is that you will have specific issues related to your case that will require the expertise of an attorney. Many questions will need to be answered.

1. Did the accident involve a death or injury?
2. Is this your first incident of texting and driving?
3. Are you under the age of 18?
4. Was there a minor in the vehicle at the time of the accident?

Even if there were no deaths or serious injuries as a result of your distracted driving, this matter still requires your serious attention. This is a serious offense in the eyes of the court as most states have banned the use of cellphones while driving. You will most certainly need legal representation in this case. At the Law Offices of Aretsky and Aretsky, we strongly urge you to contact us immediately at (201) 996-0234 to set up a consultation so that we can begin working to defend you in court. You might also be interested in a related post entitled, Traffic Violations We Can Help With.

You stopped at the bar on the way home, hung out with a few of your friends, and had a few drinks. You’ve never thought twice about being able to drive home without any problems. After all, you live right down the street. You finished the last beer, and headed home. You were driving too fast, didn’t see the cyclist, and could not hit the brake fast enough. You were afraid of what would happen if you stopped to talk to him about accidentally hitting him, so in a moment of panic you sped off. But what you didn’t know is that someone else was watching the incident unfold and somehow managed to get your license plate information. You were surprised to find that you had been charged with a hit and run. You didn’t mean for it to get to this. You now wish you had stopped – now what are you supposed to do? Should you do nothing and hope it goes away?

Absolutely not.

A hit and run incident can be defined as running into a pedestrian, property, or another vehicle and then leaving the scene of the accident without leaving any of your contact information. The penalties can include heavy fines and even imprisonment, but vary across the states. One thing you can be sure of is that if you fled the scene of one of these types of accidents and were later caught, this incident will be kept on your driving record. Ignoring the consequences you now face will only make matters worse. You are walking into a lose-lose situation, based on the fact that not only are you facing charges for reckless driving, but you have no one legally representing you. Having a lawyer by your side is the only way to face the music. We have the answers for your questions.

1. What are my rights?
2. Will I have to do jail time?
3. Is there a fine I will have to pay?
4. Will I lose my license?
5. Will I have to pay damages to the people/property involved?
6. Is there a way to get my charges reduced or even reversed?

You made a mistake – there’s no reason to make another one. Call us today to set up a consultation so we can look at the facts of your case and make a plan that will protect your interests.