Jason A. Seidman spent five years as a prosecutor and attorney for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, attaining a level of know-how that is invaluable to his criminal defense practice — and his clients — today.
“I know how prosecutors think,” he says. “That can be incredibly valuable now, in either trying to get a better plea offer or in trying to find a strategy to win at trial because you know that the prosecutor is thinking like a prosecutor and you can slip some defense attorney strategies in there that they never see coming.”
Mr. Seidman’s current practice focuses on criminal law with a strong emphasis on felony-level cases. He has achieved numerous positive outcomes for clients, including dismissal of a case where his client faced up to 10 years in prison involving a gun that the client didn’t know was in his bag and was detected by airport screening. Mr. Seidman has also been successful at having a number of his clients who were first-time offenders admitted to the state’s Pretrial Intervention Program.
During his time with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, Mr. Seidman had some high-profile achievements. During the first 3½ years of his tenure there, he became a member of the trial team that handled street-level drug-distribution cases in New Brunswick. These cases ranged from possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine all the way up to first-degree distribution and possession with the intent to distribute PCP. In addition to prosecuting drug cases, he also supervised the office’s Drug Court Unit, which aspires to help people beat their habits. He then moved to a trial team that handled all the crimes occurring in Woodbridge Township, Jamesburg, Milltown, Monroe, and Sayreville.
One of the highlights of his days as a prosecutor involved a cold case that was brought back to life by DNA evidence 30 years after the homicide of a 15-year-old prostitute. Mr. Seidman was part of the team that secured the conviction of the killer following a five-week trial that involved 30 witnesses.
Another highlight was his involvement in the investigation and prosecution of a 24-defendant racketeering case involving rival subsets of the Bloods street gang, the G-Shine Bloods and the Nine Trey Bloods, which were engaged in a turf war that resulted in the death of an innocent man killed by a stray bullet.
As that case matured, Mr. Seidman became the legal adviser to the Middlesex County Gangs, Guns and Drugs Task Force, a proactive investigative unit that assists the prosecutors. He spent his last 1½ years in the prosecutor’s office in that capacity.
A New Jersey native, Mr. Seidman comes from a family of lawyers. His mother and grandfather were both prosecutors, and his great-grandfather was a trusts and estates attorney. He received a B.A. in government and law from Lafayette College in 2005 and earned his J.D. from the University of the District of Columbia in 2009.
Asked what he likes most about his work, Mr. Seidman says he simply loves all aspects of litigation. “I like finding issues in cases. I like finding the one spot that nobody else sees and using that to my advantage. I like the competition, the back and forth, but I tend to do it in a subdued way. I’m not a very aggressive guy until I have to be.”
He considers his greatest strength as an attorney to be the level of preparation he invests in all his cases.
“I do not like to be surprised,” he says. “I do not like to lose.”
RESULTS
3rd Degree Aggravated Assault, Theft by Unlawful Taking, and Aggravated Assault on DV Victim; 4th Degree Criminal Mischief Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
4th Degree Prohibited Weapons Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Robbery Amended to 3rd Degree Theft From the Person of Another and Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Manufacturing/Distribution CDS; 3rd Degree Possession of CDS and Money Laundering Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Arson and 4th Degree Criminal Mischief Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Endangering Amended to 4th Degree Criminal Mischief and Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Endagering; 3rd Degree Conspiracy Shoplifting and Shoplifting Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession of CDS and Hindering Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Burglary, and Criminal Mischief; 4th Degree Theft by Unlawful Taking Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2 Counts of 3rd Degree Terroristic Threats Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
1st Degree Robbery; 2nd Degree Possession of Weapon; 3rd Degree Unlawful Possession Weapon; 4th Degree Aggravated Assault Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
Motion for Early Termination of PTI Granted
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Resisting Arrest/Eluding and Possession CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
4th Degree Criminal Sexual Contact Dismissed
Monmouth County Superior Court
3rd Degree Manufacturing/Distribution CDS, Possession of CDS, and Endangering Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of Weapon-Handgun Without Permit Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Manufacturing/Distribution Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession CDS and CDS Distribution Near School; 4th Degree Manufacturing/Distribution CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
4th Degree Identity Crime Downgraded to DP Tampering with Public Records
Middlesex
3rd Degree Terroristic Threats Dismissed; 2nd Degree Endangering Downgraded to DP Simple Assault
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Possession/Distribution Within 500ft Certain Public Property and Manufacturing/Distribution CDS; 3rd Degree Possession CDS and Manufacturing/Distribution Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Manufacturing/Distribution CDS Dismissed; 3rd Degree Possession of CDS Downgraded to DP Disorderly Conduct
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Resisting Arrest/Eluding Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Weapons Manufacturing/Distribution; 3rd Degree Unlawful Possession Weapon; 4th Degree Violations of Firearms Regulation Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Endangering Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd and 3rd Degree Aggravated Assault Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Sexual Assault of Minor and 4th Degree Criminal Sexual Contact Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court (2017)
1st Degree Robbery, 2nd Degree Criminal Attempt, and 3rd Degree Possession of Weapon for Unlawful Purpose Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Conspiracy, Manufacturing/Distributing CDS, CDS Distribution Near School, and Money Laundering; 4th Degree Possession of CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
1st Degree Robbery; 3rd Degree Theft by Unlawful Taking and Aggravated Assault Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
1st Degree Aggravated Manslaughter and Hindering Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Official Misconduct Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Aggravated Assault Downgraded to 3rd Degree Aggravated Assault
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Insurance Fraud; 3rd Degree Theft by Deception and Identity Crime Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession of CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Endangering Downgraded to 3rd Degree Endangering
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Manufacturing/Distributing CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Terroristic Threats and Possession of Weapon For Unlawful Purpose Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
6 Counts of Certain Person Not to Have Weapons Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Use of ID of Another Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS and CDS Distribution Near School Property; 4th Degree Possession of CDS and Prohibited Weapons Dismissed
Middlesex Superior Court
3rd Degree Burglary and Theft by Unlawful Taking; 4th Degree Criminal Mischief Dismissed; 3rd Degree Conspiracy to Commit Burglary Downgraded to D.P. Wandering to Obtain CDS
Middlesex Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession CDS, Manufacturing/Distributing CDS, and Money Laundering; 4th Degree Possession of CDS Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault and 2nd Degree Endangering - Sexual Contact with Child by Caretake Dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
2nd Degree Sexual Assault Minor and Sexual Assault - No Personal Injury; 3rd Degree Endangering; 4th Degree Criminal Sexual Contact Dismissed
Passaic County Superior Court
3rd Degree Shoplifting Downgraded to D.P. Theft by Unlawful Taking
Somerset Municipal Court
2nd Degree Aggravated Assault; 3rd Degree Aggravated Assault on DV Victim, Possession of Weapon for Unlawful Purpose; 4th Degree Unlawful Possession of Weapon Dismissed; 3rd Degree Aggravated Assault Downgraded to D.P. Simple Assault
Middlesex County Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession of CDS Downgraded to D.P. Wandering to Obtain CDS
Ocean County Superior Court
1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault Minor and Endangering - Permit Child to Engage in Pornography; 2nd Degree Endangering - Photograph/Film Child in Sex Act, and Endangering - Abuse/Neglect of Child by Caregiver; 4th Degree Possession of Child Pornography Dismissed
Monmouth County Superior Court
3rd Degree CDS Manufacturing/Distribution Downgraded to D.P. Wandering to Obtain CDS
Morris County Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession of CDS Dismissed
Monmouth County Superior Court
4th Degree Lewdness Downgraded to D.P. Lewdness
Passaic County Superior Court
2nd Degree Burglary; 3rd Degree Terroristic Threats and Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose Dismissed
Gloucester Superior Court
3rd Degree Possession of CDS Downgraded to D.P. Possession of CDS
Essex County Superior Court
4th Degree Resisting Arrest Dismissed
Hudson County Superior Court
2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of Weapon; 3rd Degree Unlawful Possession of Weapon; 4th Degree Prohibited Weapons, Weapons Deface-Armor Breaching Bullet, and Endangering Another Dismissed
Hudson County Superior Court
3rd Degree Manufacturing/Distributing CDS Dismissed
Burlington County Superior Court
3rd Degree Credit Card Theft and Identity Crime; 4th Degree Credit Card Crimes Dismissed; 3rd Degree Theft by Deception Downgraded to D.P. Theft by Deception
Union County Superior Court
3rd Degree Resisting Arrest and 4th Degree Aggravated Assault on Law Enforcement Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
3rd Degree Shoplifting Downgraded to D.P. Shoplifting
Union County Superior Court
4th Degree Cyber Harassment Dismissed
Bergen County Superior Court
1st Degree Endangering - Permit Child to Engage in Pornography Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault of Minor and 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of Minor Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
3rd Degree Receiving Stolen Property Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of Weapon-Handgun Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
3rd Degree Burglary Dismissed
Union County Superior Court
1st degree Conspiracy to kidnapping, 2nd degree Interfering with custody, and 3rd degree hindering dismissed
Middlesex County Superior Court
Endangering dismissed
Hudson County Superior Court
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