Amber Forrester

When your liberty and livelihood are on the line, experience matters. My philosophy is that any person—regardless of age, upbringing, education, occupation, or life experience—is capable of making a mistake. Perhaps you’re visiting this page because you or someone you love has made a mistake. Perhaps the person accusing you of an offense has. I have helped thousands of people facing charges from minor theft offenses to homicide indictments. I’m used to meeting people on their worst day, and it’s always my goal to improve my client’s outlook. Things immediately look a little brighter when you have someone knowledgeable in your corner and that’s just one of many reasons that time is of the essence in securing representation. Believe it or not, there are only 6 possible defenses to a criminal case—call me and we can discuss which scenario matches your situation. When experience matters, make your very best choice for criminal defense: Amber L. Forrester.

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New Jersey

New Jersey Courts

ID Number: 009612008

Since 2008

Assistant Deputy Public Defender

New Jersey Office of the Public Defender

2008 - 2020

Law Clerk to the Honorable F. Patrick McManimon, J.S.C.

New Jersey Superior Court

2007 - 2008

Rutgers University - Camden

J.D. (2007)

College of William and Mary

B.S. (2004)

State Bar of New Jersey  # 009612008

Member

Current

Certified Criminal Trial Attorney

The Supreme Court of New Jersey

Q. Is it lawful for the state of New Jersey to sentence a youthful offender under the age of 20 to a longer sentence than a

February 28, 2024

A: While the most up-to-date developmental psychology studies tell us that the prefrontal cortex--the part of the brain that comprehends complex issues like the consequences of our actions--isn't fully developed until we're about 26, the law in New Jersey (as well as federal law) has not changed the age of adulthood to match the science. As a result, a new law passed in 2020 added the mitigating factor referred to in the previous answer. At sentencing, a defense attorney argues to the court which mitigating factors apply to the specific defendant and case. If the defense lawyer successfully makes the argument that it applies, the sentencing judge will take into account that the adult offender falls into the age range where the brain isn't fully developed. That said, the difference between being treated as an adult offender versus being treated as a juvenile offender is significant no matter what the degree of offense, and the maximum exposure for an adult offender always substantially outweighs the worst-case scenario sentence for an offender who remains in the juvenile justice system. New Jersey's juvenile waiver law changed in 2016 and now the most serious offenses--if committed by a minor aged 15+ years old--can make that minor subject to waiver to the adult criminal justice system, where their age no longer keeps them from the most serious possible sentences.

Every defendant, no matter what age or type of court before which they appear, should be judged and sentenced in accordance with facts relevant to the defendant in particular and the case at bar. It can be tempting to compare two individuals, even if they're being sentenced for the same offense committed together, but for many reasons, it's not a fair comparison. When comparing an adult and juvenile offender in the same circumstances and considering all other variables to be equal, you're dealing with an apples-to-oranges comparison. The philosophy of juvenile justice differs substantially from the adult system, and there is significantly more focus on punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation of adult offenders than there is on juveniles, who are considered to be redeemable and rehabilitatable in a way their adult counterparts simply are not. ... Read More

Q. Why do I have a post indicted arraignment when I haven’t been indicted yet ?

September 23, 2023

A: While it is not impossible that it was listed erroneously, the odds are that you have been indicted and are just not aware of it yet. Grand jury presentments are secret proceedings that you are not made aware of beforehand, and the filing of the indictment is often the first time you learn your case has been presented. The attorney of record for your case, whether public defender or private counsel, would receive a notification via email that the indictment has been filed, so reaching out to your lawyer is the fastest way to verify that you have been indicted and get a copy of it. If you applied for a public defender but have not yet spoken to a specific lawyer, call the office to learn who your assigned attorney is. If you intend to retain private counsel, you should begin your search as soon as possible so that you are attending that court date with an attorney by your side. At the point of indictment, the prosecutor’s obligation to turn over discovery attaches, so whether your lawyer is private or public, there’s likely a lot more to talk about with him or her now. ... Read More

Q. My daughter was detained at the Newark Airport for unknowingly violating N.J.S. 2c:39-3e. She has no criminal record.

April 11, 2023

A: While her lack of record makes her eligible to apply for the Pre-Trial Intervention program, if accepted that potential dismissal will take a minimum of 12 and maximum of 36 months and require at least some effort from her. Just having a pending charge in the event of a background check may be problematic for her licensure. The case could potentially be downgraded to municipal court as well, but again, there could be ramifications for even a non-felony resolution. Criminal cases are always dependent on a number of variables including the prosecutor, (who has discretion in terms of PTI acceptance among other things) and the actual facts in evidence. The best thing she can do is to get an attorney involved to try to resolve the matter in the most beneficial way possible—it’s very unlikely that the matter gets dismissed outright without at least some discovery being reviewed and picked apart by counsel, and getting a seasoned lawyer involved sooner than later is a smart step in that direction. ... Read More