Legal Blog
Expert insights on criminal defense, federal charges, and your legal rights from the attorneys at Spodek Law Group.
NY Penal Law § 160.10: Robbery in the Second Degree
Akin to larceny and burglary, robbery is a type of theft offense. What sets it apart from other theft crimes is the use of physical force or the threa
NY Penal Law § 160.15: Robbery in the First Degree
If you are accused of a robbery offense, that means you have been accused of more than just stealing. To be accused of robbery means you also used for
NY Penal Law § 150.01: Arson in the Fifth Degree
Understanding Arson in the Fifth Degree (NY Penal Law § 150.01) Being accused of a crime—even a misdemeanor like Arson in the Fifth Degree—can feel te
NY Penal Law § 150.15: Arson in the Second Degree
Arson is the criminal offense by which one intentionally damages a structure by the use of fire or explosives. For the purposes of this statute, the t
NY Penal Law § 150.20: Arson in the First Degree
Arson is the criminal offense by which one intentionally damages a structure by the use of fire or explosives. There are five different degrees of ars
NY Penal Law § 121.12: Strangulation in the Second Degree
To cause someone to stop breathing or to obstruct that person's ability to breathe is against the law. Such actions are considered extremely serious b
NY Penal Law § 121.13: Strangulation in the First Degree
Choking and strangling are the kinds of violent acts that are frequently associated with cases of domestic violence. Strangulation is defined under Ne
NY Penal Law § 135.10: Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree
Sometimes referred to as false imprisonment, the term “unlawful imprisonment” is defined in the New York penal code as detaining another person withou
NY Penal Law § 135.35: Labor Trafficking
The term “labor trafficking” is a contemporary term that basically means slavery. It speaks of making a person perform work by the use of force, fraud
NY Penal Law § 135.45: Custodial Interference in the Second Degree
Child custody cases can often become rather contentious. Ultimately, the judge must render the decision as to custody and visitation between the paren
NY Penal Law § 135.50: Custodial Interference in the First Degree
There are numerous laws established to protect the welfare of children. A number of these laws are specifically designed to protect children as well a
NY Penal Law § 135.65: Coercion in the First Degree
Coercion is a criminal offense that entails one person forcing another person to do, or to refrain from doing something against that individual’s will
NY Penal Law § 165.40: Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree
The New York penal code has a number of offenses connected to theft and stealing. For example, petit larceny, grand larceny, robbery, and embezzlement
Should You Plead Or Go To Trial On Criminal Charges In Federal Court?
Going To Trial And/Or Pleading Guilty In Federal Court When you get charged with a federal crime , automatically you are going to be extremely confuse
What Happens In A Federal Criminal Appeal?
What Happens In A Federal Criminal Appeal? If you have been charged with a federal crime , then you may be curious about what will happen when you ent
Withdrawing A Guilty Plea In Federal Court
Withdrawing A Guilty Plea In Federal Court In federal criminal cases , it common for defendants to enter into a guilty plea . It normally happens when
How Does Cooperating With The Federal Government Work?
How Does Cooperating With The Federal Government Work? Many individuals who are facing criminal charges are willing to provide information for authori
What issues Do People Raise In A Federal Criminal Appeal?
What Issues Do People Raise In A Federal Criminal Appeal? Understanding the Federal Appeal Process A conviction in federal court doesn't signal the en
Federal False Statements – What Are They and What Are the Implications?
Federal False Statements – What Are They and What Are the Implications? It is a criminal offense under the federal law to make a false statement or ev
Should You Talk To Federal Law Enforcement?
Should You Talk To Federal Law Enforcement? If law enforcement comes knocking on your door, you might think that you have to answer their questions. K
Federal Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines
Federal Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines The Challenge of Enforcement It is not easy for the federal government to keep up with the increased n
How Federal Criminal Cases Work
How Federal Criminal Cases Work Federal and state criminal charges are generally prosecuted in the same manner, but cases filed in federal court are a
What To Do First If You Get A Target Letter
What To Do First If You Get A Target Letter People often speculate and some will even joke that they are the target of a federal investigation. Howeve
How Do You Know If You've Been Charged With a Federal Crime?
How Do You Know If You've Been Charged With a Federal Crime? What Makes a Crime Federal In order to be charged with a federal crime , the federal gove
What To Do First If a Loved One Is Arrested by Federal Agents
What Happens In A Federal Criminal Appeal? If you have been charged with a federal crime , then you may be curious about what will happen when you ent
What To Do First If Federal Agents Come to Your Home With a Search Warrant
What to Do If Federal Agents Come to Your Home with a Search Warrant The sight of federal agents at your home might come as a surprise to most people.
OIG Agent Warnings and Federal Employees
When a federal worker is under investigation by the federal government, they'll mostly be contacted by the Office of Inspector General informing them
How to Respond when an OIG Agent Wants to Talk
How to Respond when an OIG Agent Wants to Talk If you are under investigation, one of the ways to know about it is when you get a visit by an OIG agen
What To Do First If You're Involved in a Federal Investigation
What To Do First If You're Involved in a Federal Investigation Finding out that you're involved in a federal investigation can be a frightening experi
What Happens In a Grand Jury?
Understanding Grand Jury Hearings in the Criminal Justice System There are two ways that our criminal justice system determines if there's enough evid
Do I have To Talk To A Federal Grand Jury?
Do I Have To Talk To A Federal Grand Jury? Talking to a Federal Grand Jury Being summoned to speak in front of a federal grand jury can be quite an in
How Immunity Works In Federal Criminal Cases
How Immunity Works in Federal Criminal Cases In federal criminal crimes , there is often the option of immunity given to a person involved who has inf
What Not To Do If You Are Under Federal Investigation
Avoid These Pitfalls When Under Federal Investigation If you've been subjected to a federal criminal investigation , you're probably under a great dea
CERT Audit & Investigation Process
CERT Audit & Investigation Process What is CERT? CERT is an acronym for Comprehensive Error Rate Testing , which was developed for the purpose of dete
Criminal Defense for Pain Clinics
Criminal Defense for Pain Clinics Defending Your Pain Clinic Against Unjust Claims It's no secret that in recent years the opioid prescription drug ep
DEA Audits and Investigations
DEA Audits and Investigations What a Drug Enforcement Administration Audit or Inspection Can Mean for Your Pharmacy Aside from routine audits and insp
DEA Defense Matters
DEA Defense Matters in a Nutshell The DEA, or more formally, the Drug Enforcement Administration is responsible for the monitoring of narcotics in the
DEA Registration Application & Denial
DEA Registration Application & Denial The DEA Denial Explained If you've worked hard to become a medical provider and have been denied for DEA approva
DEA Registration Disciplinary Action
DEA Registration Disciplinary Action In recent years, multiple agencies have cracked down on health care providers that exist for the purpose of writi
DEA Registration Surrenders
DEA Registration Surrenders If ever the question is asked about whether you should surrender your DEA registration, always remember that the answer is
DEA Registration Suspension & Revocation
DEA Registration Suspension & Revocation There is an increasing number of suspension orders served by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that h
Drug Diversion
Healthcare professionals often find themselves in precarious situations while performing job responsibilities. All professions come with some occupati
The False Claims Act and How it Can Affect Your Practice
The False Claims Act and How it Can Affect Your Practice The False Claims Act was designed many years ago to prevent fraud and abuse against the gover
FDA Inspections
Overview of FDA Inspections Inspections of regulated facilities by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are performed to determine their compliance
Healthcare Audits and How They Should be Handled
Healthcare Audits and How They Should be Handled A healthcare audit is a serious matter that can be a very stressful time when not dealt with by an ex
Medicare Administrative Contractor Audits and Appeals and How They Can Affect Your Practice
Medicare Administrative Contractor Audits and Appeals and How They Can Affect Your Practice If you're in medicine, you're most likely aware of the rol
Medicare Fraud Defense
Medicare Fraud Defense There are numerous ways that you could commit Medicare fraud , some that aren't intentional. If you've received allegations abo
Pharmacist License Defense
Pharmacist License Defense As a registered or licensed pharmacy , you must comply with strict legal and ethical standards for accepting and filling me
Stark Law Defense
Stark Laws: Understanding Healthcare Referral Regulations Stark Law contains a set of U.S. federal laws, with a focus on healthcare abuse and fraud. T
Unlawful Prescribing or Dispensing
Unlawful Prescribing or Dispensing: Defending Healthcare Professionals If you prescribe medications as a doctor or a physician's assistant and know th