New York's top court recently redefined the contours of the state's Rape Shield Law to align with a defendant's constitutional right to present a defense, the appellate and post-conviction attorney who argued the case said Wednesday.

In its 5-2 decision, the Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for Sergio Cerda, a Long Island man who had been convicted of first-degree sexual abuse. In the process, the high court brought the law into compliance with the accused's right to due process of law, said Donna Aldea, who heads Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco's appellate and post-conviction litigation unit.