Illegal Search Defense Lawyer Protecting Client Rights in Atlantic & Cape May County
Atlantic County Attorney for Searches Without a Warrant
The U.S. Constitution protects all of us from unreasonable searches and seizures. Whether a particular search was constitutional is a common issue in criminal cases because, generally, evidence that the police obtained illegally cannot be used to prosecute someone for a crime.
I am John W. Tumelty, an experienced Jersey Shore illegal search defense lawyer representing clients from Atlantic City to Cape May. If you have been charged with a drug crime on the basis of evidence obtained in a search of your home, car or person, contact me for a free consultation.
It May Be Possible to Get Your Charges Dismissed.
Police officers obtain much of the evidence that is used in drug cases and other criminal cases by searching people’s homes, businesses, vehicles, pocketbooks, and clothing. Under the constitution, a search has to meet certain criteria in order to be considered legal.
- Search warrant: The law in New Jersey says that the police may not search your car, home, or personal belongings unless they have a search warrant issued by a judge. There are, however, certain limited exceptions to the search warrant requirement.
- Probable cause: The police may not obtain a search warrant without probable cause. The police may not otherwise search your car, house, clothing or personal belongings without the requisite probable cause to believe you have committed a crime or are in possession of contraband.
- Consent: The police cannot claim you consented to a search that would otherwise have been illegal unless you were informed of your rights and signed a written consent form.
Whether you were searched based on the observations of a police officer, the testimony of an informant, or random surveillance, I will carefully investigate the facts of your case in order to determine whether I can get your charges dismissed on the basis of an illegal search.
With 30 years of criminal law experience, call me today at 609-390-4600 to learn more about what I can do to protect your constitutional rights and aggressively defend you against serious criminal charges.
