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24/7/365 Emergency Hotline: 631-348-1702

If you have been arrested, or in case of an emergency, our attorneys can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 631-348-1702.

Author: mcguire

Drunk Driver Arrested in Violation of Leandra’s Law

Riverhead Town Police arrested a woman on charges of violating Leandra’s Law when she was driving drunk with her two children in the car.

Town officers stopped Prudence B. Williams on East Main Street on April 28 at approximately 11:50 p.m. for a vehicle and traffic law infraction. Police found that she was “driving under the influence of alcohol” while her two daughters — a six-year-old and a six-month-old — were in the vehicle with her.

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Deck Collapse Injures Two During Party

Two people were injured when a deck collapsed during a house party in East Setauket. CBS News reported that 400 people — mostly students at Stony Brook University — attended a party at the house to celebrate “move-in day.” It was estimated that as many as 50 people were on the 10-foot-high deck when it collapsed on August 26, 2016, at 11 p.m.

Of the two who were injured, one had a broken leg and the other suffered abrasions. Police were called to the scene after a neighbor complained about the noise and the number of cars parked in front of the house.

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Car Crash Occurs at Same Intersection Where Fatal Limousine Accident Took Place

The Suffolk Times reported that three people were hospitalized after their car was rear-ended by another vehicle at the intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane in Cutchogue. The site of the crash was also the same place where a fatal limousine accident occurred last year.

According to the article, a 23-year-old man driving a 2005 Nissan was heading westbound on CR 48 on July 31, 2016, at approximately 6PM, when he was hit from behind a 19-year-old driving a 2013 Nissan. Three passengers in the second vehicle suffered minor injuries and were treated at Eastern Long Island Hospital. No charges were filed.

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Lawmakers Discuss Reforming New York City Bail Requirements

New York City has been discussing changes to bail requirements for low level offenders. Many non-felony offenders are held in custody due to their inability to post bail. In many cases they are unable to post a low bail of $500. According to statistics provided by Human Rights Watch, nine out of ten defendants in 2008 were unable to post bail set at $1,000 or less.

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Case Dismissed Based on “Auto-Brewery Syndrome” Defense

Having a dedicated and experienced attorney is essential to defending yourself against DWI charges. There are evidentiary tools and various defenses which can be asserted that an attorney can help identify.

One recent case in which an attorney’s experience and use of unique defense tools resulted in a dismissal is a case in Upstate New York. A woman, after driving erratically, was pulled over for drunk driving. Her blood alcohol content (BAC) was at .33, more than four times the legal limit of .08. She stated that she only drank three alcoholic beverages earlier in the day, which was not enough to equal her BAC.

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Small Plane Safety Risks

Many enjoy the thrill of riding in a small passenger plane. Others enjoy the convenience it brings and ease of travel. Some people even take classes and obtain their pilot licenses to be able to have the freedom to fly whenever they choose. However, if pilots do not exercise caution, accidents can occur. Recently, on Long Island, a single engine plane crashed killing the pilot and injuring the passenger.

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Tenant’s Rights Under the Warranty of Habitability

Every tenant has the right to live in a safe, sanitary and habitable dwelling.  It is the landlord’s responsibility to provide suitable conditions for habitation. The warranty of habitability is a law that makes the landlord or owner responsible for keeping your apartment and the building safe and livable at all times. If a landlord does not take care of the property, or make repairs when necessary, these failures may constitute a breach of the warranty of habitability.

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Are Landlords Required to Allow Service Animals?

Under federal law, landlords are required to provide “reasonable accommodations” based on an individual’s disability.  Disabilities can be mental, emotional, or physical in nature.  Landlords must comply with the Fair Housing Act, and regardless of a pet policy, a landlord may be required to permit a tenant to keep a service animal to accommodate an individual’s disability.

Service animals may assist with mental, emotional, or physical needs.  Additionally, a service animal could include any type of animal that qualifies.  Traditionally people consider service animals to be dogs, but they can also include cats, birds, rabbits, and any other animal that may assist with the person’s disability.  These animals are not considered pets, but working animals.

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Arts and Crafts Safety

Now that the school year is in full swing, many children will be participating in various arts and crafts projects both during and after school hours.  These projects are fun and educational for children, but it is important that parents stay vigilant about safety.

Continue reading “Arts and Crafts Safety”

Anchor It! Campaign Raises Awareness of Furniture Tip-Over Deaths and Injuries

According to national statistics, a person is injured by furniture that has tipped over every 15 minutes.  38,000 Americans visit the emergency room each year due to furniture or TVs that have fallen on them.  Children are especially at risk as they are likely to climb on furniture and use the home as a playground.  In fact, most of the injuries sustained by furniture tip-overs involve children, and can even result in death.  Sadly, every two weeks a child dies due to a furniture tip-over.  These accidents are entirely preventable by anchoring furniture in place. Continue reading “Anchor It! Campaign Raises Awareness of Furniture Tip-Over Deaths and Injuries”

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Luis Lz
They did an amazing job the first time , and I’m here again , the staff incredible , nice , professional, highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you for coming back to us and for your kind words. We truly appreciate your continued trust in McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. It means a great deal to know that you had a positive experience the first time and felt confident returning to our firm. Our staff takes great pride in being professional, supportive, and attentive, and your recommendation means a lot to our entire team. We’re grateful for the opportunity to assist you again and wish you the very best. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law
Paul Laguan
El mejor abogado en Long Island, Central Islip. Me ha ayudado mucho con mis casos
Response from the owner:uchas gracias por sus amables palabras y por confiar en McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Nos honra saber que ha tenido una experiencia positiva y que hemos podido ayudarle con sus casos. Nuestro compromiso es brindar una representación legal dedicada, profesional y accesible para todos nuestros clientes. Agradecemos sinceramente su recomendación y su confianza en nuestro equipo. Le deseamos lo mejor y quedamos siempre a su disposición. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Abogados
Nel Souls
Great lawyers
Response from the owner:Thank you, Nel, for taking the time to leave us a five-star review. We truly appreciate your kind words and your trust in McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. It was our pleasure to assist you, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to serve you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can ever be of help in the future. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law
Kiara Merino
McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law is a law firm you can truly trust. Their lawyers are professional, approachable, and genuinely care about helping their clients through difficult situations. They take the time to listen, explain things clearly, and fight hard for the best possible outcome. Overall, they are known for being dependable, experienced, and supportive every step of the way. I live the way that they are also bilingual. Karen was a lot of help in my case, she made things more easier for me . From my experience I would 100% recommend this firm to anyone.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful and heartfelt review. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Our goal is always to provide trusted, compassionate, and effective legal representation, and we’re grateful to know that you felt supported, well-informed, and cared for throughout your case. We’re especially pleased to hear that Karen was such a help and made the process easier for you — she will be very appreciative of your kind words. We are also proud to serve our clients bilingually to better meet their needs. Thank you for your trust and for your strong recommendation. We wish you continued success and all the best moving forward. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law
Mario Diaz
Very professional and knowledgeable! They helped me in different cases and have made the process much less stressful. Grateful for all their work!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mario, for your kind review and for trusting McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. We are glad to hear that our team was able to assist you with multiple matters and help make the process less stressful. Providing professional, knowledgeable, and supportive representation is always our goal, and we truly appreciate your gratitude and confidence in our firm. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law
Josue Coreas
I had an excellent experience with McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at Law. From start to finish, the entire office was professional, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to helping me with my case. They took the time to explain everything clearly and made sure I felt supported every step of the way.

I especially want to recognize Karen Lazo, who was absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond to assist me and made the Spanish translation process easy, clear, and stress-free. Her patience, professionalism, and kindness made a huge difference, and I truly felt understood and cared for.

I highly recommend this law firm to anyone looking for reliable, compassionate, and professional legal representation. Thank you to the entire team—and especially Karen—for such outstanding service.
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. We are truly grateful for your kind words and for placing your trust in McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. We are pleased to hear that your experience with our firm was professional, supportive, and clear from start to finish. Making sure our clients feel informed and supported throughout their case is always a top priority for our entire team. We especially appreciate your recognition of Karen Lazo. She takes great pride in assisting our clients, and we are glad to know her patience, professionalism, and bilingual support made a meaningful difference in your experience. Your comments will mean a great deal to her. Thank you again for your recommendation and kind words. We wish you all the best and are always here should you need assistance in the future. — McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro, P.C. Attorneys at La
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