Understood. Based on the appellate decision you uploaded, the court affirmed the conviction but expressly stated that allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel should be pursued through a Post-Conviction Relief (PCR) petition because the record needs to be expanded.
If you are looking for attorneys who actually handle New Jersey PCR petitions, criminal appeals, and sex offense cases, here are some firms and attorneys that are known for that work:
Alan Zegas
Law Offices of Alan Zegas
744 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 621-0333
https://www.criminalappeal.com
• Concentrates on criminal appeals and post-conviction relief.
• Has argued cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court.
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Jeffrey Gold
Gold & Associates
293 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston, NJ 07039
(973) 325-9800
https://www.goldlawnj.com
• Handles serious felony cases, appeals, and PCR matters.
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Joseph E. Krakora
Krakora Law
New Jersey
https://www.krakoralaw.com
• Former New Jersey Public Defender.
• Extensive experience with post-conviction litigation.
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Richard Roberts
The Roberts Law Firm
51 Route 23 South
Riverdale, NJ 07457
(973) 305-8881
https://www.richardrobertslaw.com
• Certified Criminal Trial Attorney.
• Handles sex offense cases and PCR petitions.
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Steven G. Sanders
Law Offices of Steven G. Sanders
Cherry Hill, NJ
(856) 216-6482
https://www.sandersappeals.com
• Focuses on criminal appeals and post-conviction relief.
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New Jersey Office of the Public Defender
Post-Conviction Relief Unit
25 Market Street
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 292-7087
https://www.nj.gov/defender
If the defendant qualifies financially, the Public Defender may appoint counsel for a PCR petition.
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Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey (ACDL-NJ)
https://www.acdlnj.org
This organization includes many attorneys who specialize in:
• PCR petitions.
• New Jersey Supreme Court appeals.
• Ineffective assistance of counsel claims.
• Serious felony and sexual assault cases.
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Based on the opinion itself, counsel should specifically examine:
1. Trial counsel's failure to object to hearsay evidence.
2. Failure to request an N.J.R.E. 104 hearing concerning the written statement.
3. Whether strategic decisions by trial counsel were reasonable.
4. Communications between counsel and the defendant that are outside the record.
5. Preparation and filing of a timely PCR petition.
If your goal is to identify the strongest attorneys in New Jersey for overturning convictions and litigating PCR cases, I can provide a more extensive list of 15–20 attorneys, including former prosecutors, former public defenders, and attorneys who regularly appear before the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Third Circuit.
Provide a list of attorneys that work pro bono for veterans in post conviction relief on appeals
If you are looking specifically for pro bono representation for veterans in criminal post-conviction proceedings and appeals, there are relatively few organizations that do this, but these are among the strongest places to start:
1. Innocence Project
Innocence Project
• Handles wrongful conviction cases nationwide.
• Provides free representation.
• Accepts cases involving DNA evidence and claims of actual innocence.
• Has represented veterans among its clients.
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2. National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)
NVLSP
• Primarily handles veterans benefits appeals and discharge upgrades.
• Occasionally assists veterans whose criminal convictions are intertwined with PTSD, TBI, or military service.
• May be able to provide referrals.
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3. The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
• Provides free attorneys to qualifying veterans.
• Known for VA benefits appeals and discharge upgrades.
• Can sometimes refer veterans to attorneys handling other matters.
Phone: (888) 838-7727
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4. Swords to Plowshares Legal Services
Swords to Plowshares
• Provides free legal services to veterans.
• Strong experience with PTSD, discharge upgrades, and collateral consequences of criminal convictions.
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5. Rutgers Law School Constitutional Rights Clinic
Rutgers Constitutional Rights Clinic
Newark, New Jersey
• Students and supervising attorneys litigate civil rights and post-conviction matters.
• Worth contacting if the case involves constitutional issues.
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6. Seton Hall Center for Social Justice
Seton Hall Center for Social Justice
Newark, New Jersey
• Clinical programs occasionally undertake post-conviction and innocence matters.
• No charge to qualifying clients.
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7. New Jersey Office of the Public Defender – Post Conviction Relief Unit
NJ Office of the Public Defender
• If the veteran is indigent, he may be entitled to appointed PCR counsel.
• Handles ineffective assistance of counsel claims and constitutional challenges.
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8. The George C. Thomas III Innocence Project at Rutgers
Rutgers Innocence Project
• Investigates wrongful convictions.
• Free representation.
• Particularly interested in cases involving new evidence or constitutional errors.
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9. Veterans Defense Project
Veterans Defense Project
New York
• Focuses on justice-involved veterans.
• Works with veterans affected by PTSD, TBI, MST, and substance use disorders.
• Can provide referrals to pro bono counsel.
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Attorneys Known for Veterans and Post-Conviction Work
Michael O'Hanlon
Federal and military post-conviction litigation.
Eugene Fidell
Yale Law School; nationally recognized expert in military justice.
Margaret Stock
Former Army JAG officer; extensive veterans advocacy.
Rory Little
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco; has worked on innocence and military-related matters.
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The Appellate Division specifically based on a PCR petition based on ineffective assistance of counsel and evidentiary issues, the best avenues are likely:
1. New Jersey Office of the Public Defender PCR Unit.
2. Rutgers Innocence Project.
3. Seton Hall Center for Social Justice.
4. Innocence Project.
5. Veterans Defense Project.
The combination of veteran status + PTSD/TBI + ineffective assistance of counsel + PCR appeal can sometimes make a case attractive to law school clinics and innocence organizations, particularly if there are claims of actual innocence or significant constitutional errors.
