“In its relations with the U.S. Supreme Court, the New Jersey court has quite consciously pursued an independent course. Although they have rarely challenged the court's authority directly, the justices in Trenton have declined to defer to its judgment and have exploited the leeway available to them to pursue their own constitutional vision.”
Alan Tarr & Mary Cornelia Porter
Inspired by Justice Stein’s remarkable career on the New Jersey Supreme Court, the Stein Public Interest Center brings a depth of knowledge and experience to its appellate advocacy. Because of our reputation as one of the leading appellate practices in the state, public interest organizations routinely ask us to file friend-of-the-court briefs in a wide variety of cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court, including those involving the criminal justice system and the rights of the criminally accused.
We strive to be involved in the most important criminal cases on the Supreme Court’s docket each term. Our work over the past several years includes successfully arguing to the New Jersey Supreme Court that the New Jersey Constitution does not permit police officers to order passengers out of automobiles as a matter of right unless there are “specific and articulable facts that would warrant heightened caution,” even though the United States Supreme Court came to a different conclusion when applying the United States Constitution.
Significant Cases
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State v. Ramirez, State v. Orozco, Docket No. 083902
In April 2021, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed with those arguments and issued a decision affirming the reversal of the defendants' manslaughter convictions. The decision bears significant implications for criminal defendants involved in accomplice crimes to safeguard their constitutional right to a fair trial and will guide the drafting of new model jury charges to eventually be implemented by courts statewide. more... - Amicus Brief on admissibility of cellphone video that rebutted detective's testimony and prosecutor's misconduct in making arguments that contradicted what the video depicts. more...
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State v. Jerome Shaw, Jr., __ N.J. __ (2020)
NJ Supreme Court opinion is favorable to protecting the rights of criminal defendants and preserving the function of the grand jury more... -
State v. Carey R. Greene __ N.J. __ (2020)
NJ Supreme Court rules in favor of defendant on prosecutor's referring to witness in opening statement more... -
State v. Bacome, 228 N.J. 94 (2017)
Amicus brief in case regarding right of police officers to order passengers to exist vehicles during routine traffic stops more... -
Parkell v. Danberg, 833 F.3d 313 (3d Cir. 2016)
Appeal on behalf of inmate challenging strip search policy of federal prison more... -
State of New Jersey v. Olenowski, Docket No. 082253
Amicus brief in case involving the admissibility of Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) evidence more...
Press Releases
- State v. Jerome Shaw, Jr., __ N.J. __ (2020) more...
News Coverage
- Denise Alvarez, Counsel at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, was quoted in New Jersey Monitor article, "Police can't secretly record phone calls, N.J.'s top court rules in win for privacy advocates. more...
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Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center Releases its 2020 Year in Review.
more...