Legal Question in Traffic Law in New Jersey

I was arrested about 4 years ago for possesion of a small amout of marijuana. This was in my home town where I grew up and family lives here, so that is why i'm in the area every weekend. Now, every time the arresting officer sees me, he follows me just becuse he recognizes the car and out of state plates. On two occasions he has stopped at the light next to me an just stares at me like its a staring contest. It's like he's trying to intimidate me or force me into doing something that he can pull be over for. Is this legal?


Asked on 6/12/11, 10:15 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jonathan Mincis Jonathan J. Mincis, Esq. Law Offices

Problem is, he hasn't done anything to you. Maybe he feels that he remembers you and he has a a feeling that you might be up to something questionable. He cannot pull you over or stop you just because he dislikes you. If he is following you all the time and always keeping a watch on you, you could complain to the Department, but who knows where that will lead and it may accoplish nothing. You could be looking into something that may not be there. Again, since he has not done anything directly to you, he has not really done anything improper. If he stopped your car and made you exit your car, made you agree to a search and he found nothing and had no probable cause to stop the vehilce in the first place, then your moving into a different area. If he keeps stopping you for some alleged infraction and he pushes to find something criminal, you could argue that it is selective enforcement and you then might wish to speak to an attorney about that. However, merely because he stares at you at a traffic light or on occasion when he sees you but never stops you, I don't know if you can really do anything about that.

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Answered on 6/13/11, 3:48 pm


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