2009 Major Mun Cases

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200 9 Major Municipal Court and Criminal Cases By Kenne th Verca m m e n , Esq. 1. Refusal Stands Even if Driver Does Not Understa nd English. State v. Marquez 408 NJ Super. 273 (App. Div. 200 9 ) The police have no constitutional obligation to translate into Spanish the standard statement under the breath- test refusal statute, N.J.S.A. 39:450.2(e), to a licensed New Jersey driver arrested for drunk driving who does not understand English. The court reaffirms the Law Division's holding in State v. Nunez, 139 N.J. Super. 28, 32- 33 (Law Div. 1976), that no such translation is required. However, we recommend that, as an administrative matter, the Motor Vehicle Commission prospectively consider having the standard statement translated into Spanish and perhaps other prevalent foreign languages. 2. US Supre m e Court Rules Lab Report Not Admissible in Criminal Case. Melendez- Diaz v. Mass 129 S.Ct. 252 7 (20 0 9 ) Defendant's drug conviction is reversed, where the trial court's admission of the prosecution's certificates by laboratory analysts, stating that material seized by police and connected to Defendant was cocaine of a certain quantity, violated petitioner's Sixth Amendment right to confront the witnesses against him. 3. Judge Can Suspend DL for Traffic Offense. State v. Moran 408 NJ Super. 412 (App Div. 200 9 ) The Court rejects the constitutional and repeal by implication (though the subsequent creation of the motor vehicle point system) challenges to N.J.S.A. 39:5- 31, which authorizes, without standards or limits, driver's license suspensions for willful motor vehicle violations.

4. Passenge r Pat down during traffic stop permit t e d if belief gang membe r is armed and dange rous Arizona v Johnson 172 L. Ed. 2d 694 (2009) While patrolling near a Tucson neighborhood associated with the Crips gang, police officers serving on Arizona’s gang task force stopped an automobile for a vehicular infraction warranting a citation. At the time of the stop, the officers had no reason to suspect the car’s occupants of criminal activity. Officer Trevizo attended to respondent Johnson, the back- seat 1


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