Search and Seizure Laws in New York City

Cops searching a car - Law Offices of Hope C. Lefeber

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. If police officers or other law enforcement officials wish to conduct a search or your car, home, office, or person, they need a search warrant supported by probable cause. But there are exceptions when law enforcement officials do not need a search warrant.

If you have been charged with a crime and your lawyer can prove that the government obtained evidence through an illegal search, the judge must exclude any evidence obtained from the illegal search. Without this evidence, the prosecution will have a much more difficult time proving you guilty. Proving that a search was illegal can mean the difference between a guilty verdict and your freedom.

Search and seizure issues occur frequently in both drug crimes and white-collar crimes, but they may arise in any criminal case where the government performed a search or seized property to obtain evidence. As the government is increasingly intruding into people’s private lives through the use of electronic surveillance, GPS tracking, cell tower information, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you need a criminal defense lawyer who knows search and seizure law and understands how to protect your rights.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." — Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution

If you are facing criminal charges, it is absolutely critical that your lawyer has extensive and up-to-date knowledge of federal search and seizure laws. Evidence that was obtained illegally cannot be used at trial. Working to have this evidence suppressed is critical to mounting a successful defense.

Aggressive Defense Against Federal Search and Seizure in NYC

Federal criminal defense lawyer Hope Lefeber has been defending people accused of crimes in federal court for more than 30 years. She is well-known and respected by her colleagues in the federal bar, federal prosecutors, federal judges, and her clients, and has earned a reputation as an aggressive defender of her clients, their rights, and their freedom.

Ms. Lefeber began her career as an Enforcement Attorney with the United States Securities &Exchange Commission (SEC). While there, she learned first-hand how the government prepares and prosecutes cases. Today, she uses that experience to defend people who have been accused of crimes in federal court.

Ms. Lefeber meticulously prepares every case she takes on and carefully analyzes every piece of evidence the government intends to introduce. She takes a hands-on approach to every case she handles and frequently works with investigators and other forensic experts to identify and analyze inconsistencies in the government’s case that can be used to have evidence excluded.

Ms. Lefeber has successfully defended high-profile clients, including executives of Fortune 500 Companies, businessmen and women, professors, lawyers,doctors and other healthcare workers, and individuals involved in securities trading, who have been charged with federal crimes. She has also lectured on federal criminal law topics and appeared on TV as a legal expert.

With a reputation as a fierce defender of her clients and their rights, Ms. Lefeber is a tenacious litigator who is relentless in her pursuit of justice. She has a deep knowledge of federal criminal law that she uses to help her clients avoid conviction.

If you have been charged with a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side who understands federal search and seizure law and can use it to challenge the government’s evidence, protect your rights, and help you avoid a conviction. Contact Ms. Lefeber today by calling 610-668-7927 or completing the online form.