Litigation

Why did Jared Kushner end litigation over a dispute with two New Jersey restaurants?

President-Elect Donald Trump has praised his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying that the 35-year-old businessman could play a role in trying to bring peace to the Middle East.

Whether or not that is possible, Kushner has brought some peace to Long Branch, New Jersey by agreeing to a settlement in a lawsuit brought by two local businesses. Kushner had been seeking to evict Stewart's Root Beer and Corner Café & Bistro from his Pier Village development but has now relented.

Developer Did Not Countersign Renewal Leases for the Restaurants

The lawsuit arose over a lease dispute between the two restaurants and the Kushner Companies, Kushner's development company. The restaurants had been leasing at Pier Village years, but their leases were both due for renewal in 2015, not long after the original developer of Pier Village sold the retail premises to Kushner's company and another company.

A pet owner has filed a Federal lawsuit in New Jersey against an animal shelter that euthanized her microchipped cat within hours after finding it.  

The woman was joined in her lawsuit by a Monmouth County SPCA officer. They claim the shelter euthanized close to 400 animals illegally in less than a year.

Returning from a vacation to find one's house burgled and vandalized can be extremely disconcerting. But it's especially upsetting when it turns out that the culprit is homeowner's mortgage lender.

According to a civil lawsuit filed in a Morris County, New Jersey court, the lender hired subcontractors to break into the plaintiff's home.

What are the consequences of ignoring court orders in a civil lawsuit?

In "Girls Gone Wild" videos there may be no rules, but the New Jersey courts, breaking the rules can lead to a multi-million dollar judgment and threats of arrest.

In a civil lawsuit, plaintiff Ashley Arpaio, a Sussex County dental assistant, sued Joe Francis, the producer behind the salacious videos, after a woman in one of his videos falsely identified herself as Arpaio and held up a driver's license to buttress the claim. In fact, the woman was Ashley Dupre, a prostitute better known for her involvement in the downfall of Eliot Spitzer.

On March 31, 2016, the California Court of Appeal issued an Order temporarily staying a Los Angeles Court's ruling which granted custody of Melissa Cook's newborn triplets to their biological father.  The March 31st Order prevents Melissa's triplets from being removed from the State of California.

You can read more about the Appellate Court ruling at People.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato recently announced that three men have been charged in connection with the February 6, 2013 drug induced death of 23 year old Jamie Caravella of Toms River. Two of the men, Rufus A. Young, 41, of Freehold and Pedro A. Valentin Jr, 23, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey have been arrested. Warrants have been issued for the third suspect, Paul E. Robinson, 24, of Toms River, New Jersey. All three suspects face serious charges relating to the death of the young woman.

In Monmouth County, New Jersey, the penalties for a conviction of trafficking drugs are harsh and frequently involve a lengthy term of incarceration. For this reason, it is crucial that you consult with an experienced Monmouth County criminal defense attorney early in the prosecution of a drug trafficking case. There are often several viable avenues of defense available to an individual charged with trafficking a controlled substance; however, the longer you wait to begin working on your defense the less chance you will have of success.

Since the “War on Drugs” began in the United States over three decades ago the laws and penalties for drug offenses throughout the country have become tougher and tougher. New Jersey is no exception. People typically think of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin when they think of drug offenses; however, you could face serious penalties for possessing, distributing, or trafficking in prescription drugs as well.

A generation or two ago it was not uncommon for someone to give a friend a pain pill from the medicine cabinet if the friend was in pain or a valium if the friend was experiencing stress. Today, helping a friend out like that could end up in a trip to jail with you facing felony drug charges.

Whether you have been drinking or not, seeing the flashing red lights in the mirror when you are driving can be a stressful, if not downright frightening, experience. If you have actually had anything at all to drink you will undoubtedly be worried about the numerous negative consequences of being arrested, charged, and even convicted of driving under the influence, or DUI. One decision you will need to make if you are stopped and the officer suspects that you have been drinking and driving is whether or not to submit to the field sobriety tests the officer will want you to perform.

In many criminal prosecutions evidence is admitted at trial that is the result of a search and seizure. If that search was conducted illegally, however, the evidence obtained as a result of that search cannot be admitted at trial. Only an experienced Monmouth County criminal defense attorney can evaluate the specific facts and circumstances of your case to determine if an illegal search occurred; however, understanding what an illegal search in Monmouth County is, in general, may make you question the search in your criminal case.

Despite campaigns by both private advocacy groups and public agencies over the last several decades to eradicate drinking and driving, driving under the influence remains one of the most common reasons for an arrest throughout the United States. If you have been arrested for driving under the influence, or DUI, in Middlesex County in New Jersey you face a variety of penalties if convicted. For many people, at the top of the list of concerns after a DUI arrest is the driver’s license suspension.