A lot of arrests in New York stem from traffic stops. An officer suspects that you’re driving drunk and pulls you over, or you’re accused of committing a traffic infraction that leads to a stop, a search, and an arrest for something like drug possession. Regardless of your specific circumstances, facing criminal charges can be terrifying given the implications it can have on your future.
But despite the prosecution’s confidence, you might have strong criminal defense options that you can rely upon to protect your future. This includes addressing the legality of your traffic stop.
Were you illegally stopped?
Just like with everything else in the legal arena, it depends on the facts. However, before the police can legally pull you over, they have to have probable cause that you’ve committed some sort of infraction or reasonable suspicion that you’ve committed or are committing a crime. This means that they must be able to articulate facts that justify the stop.
If the police can’t justify their stop, or the suspicions they relied upon to initiate your stop fall short of probable cause or reasonable suspicion, then you may have been wrongfully arrested, and illegally obtained evidence may be what’s holding the prosecution’s case together. Fortunately, there are legal strategies you can deploy to try to block that evidence from being used against you.
Know how to challenge your arrest and other key aspects of your criminal case
Even if there appears to be a mountain of evidence against you, there might be criminal defense strategies that you can use to effectively protect yourself. You just have to know about your defense options and how to use them to your advantage. That way you can make the fully informed decisions that best protect your future.