Criminal Law
Successfully defended a father accused by his biological teenage daughter of having sex with her on two occasions when the mother was at work. My client was forced from his home and had to live with other family for over six months pending trial. At trial, his daughter took the witness stand against him as he sat in tears, devastated at how his family had fallen apart because of these allegations. In closing argument I told the Brown County jury to imagine having your spouse call you at work to describe such allegation by your own child. After a two day trial, the jury deliberated for approximately five hours before returning NOT GUILTY verdicts as to all charges.
Successfully defendant a man in Kenton County, Kentucky, accused of breaking into a man's house in order to steal valuable rifles. The man testified that he came home from work to see the man standing in his room at the gun safe and then chased him from the residence. The man testified at trial that he, without a doubt, could identify my client was the man. Police testified at trial that they found our client just two blocks from the scene of the incident within minutes of the crime and he fit the description. At trial we challenged the identification, we detailed the path our client walked to the bus stop for work each day and we outlined the failed collection of evidence by police. After a two day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY on all charges, our client went free after facing up to 20 years in prison.
In a DUI/OVI case in Hamilton County, Ohio, I represented a teacher accused of drinking and driving. My client took all the field sobriety tests police ordered. The passenger in the vehicle contacted me at 2:30 a.m. to seek legal advice for his friend. The teacher refused to submit to the breath test. In a motion to suppress evidence, some of the field sobriety tests were excluded from use at trial based upon improper testing and instruction by the officer. At a bench trial, I were able to prove that my client was not impaired and passed the coordination tests. The Judge agreed and found my client NOT GUILTY of the DUI/OVI.
After registering as a sexual predator for over five years, a client came to me in order to challenge his registration. The client's conviction for the sexual offense occurred four years before the registration law became effective. He had finished serving his prison sentence three years before the registration law became effective. I filed a motion to terminate his registration on the basis that the registration law did not apply to him even though prosecutors and police had ordered him to register and community notification be sent out to his neighbors. After reviewing my motion and the supporting law in it, the prosecutor's office agreed that my client should not be subject to registration laws. The Judge then issued an order terminating my client from any kind of sexual offender and predator registration. My client is now free to live without the punishing classification of a predator.
In two separate cases, one in Ohio and one in Kentucky, I was able to assist clients in meeting with police and taking polygraph examinations. Both clients were alleged, by their child's mother, of having sexual contact with their children. After numerous discussions with police I was able to avoid my client from even being charged with a crime and the cases were closed out by police as unfounded. The allegations were false and my clients went free.
In an appeal case to the Twelfth District Court of Appeals, I challenged the guilty verdict against my client issued by the trial judge. In the appeal I was able to show that his trial counsel did not make all the proper motions to show the prosecutor had not proven all the elements of the crime charged. The Court of Appeals decided that the trial counsel was ineffective and overturned my client's conviction and ordered him not guilty.
In a juvenile case in Hamilton County, Ohio, my client and his cousin were found guilty of raping their younger female cousin and they were taken into custody by the Court. My client's mother then retained my office to challenge the guilty finding by the magistrate. I filed objections to the guilty ruling arguing it was wrong and that the facts presented at trial showed reasonable doubt existed. In the objection hearing I challenged the police tactics in interrogating my client, the different and inconsistent statements the victim made, and the physical evidence that was lacking. After considering our challenges, the Judge overturned the prior guilty finding and ordered my client be released. Based upon the success in overturning my client's conviction, his cousin was also released. Both teenagers have a clean record and are free.
A pharmacy student was accused of stealing medication from the pharmacy where he was doing his internship at. The police investigator tried to force him to admit to the crime, my client denied it and asked for an attorney. The police investigator continued to tell him he was guilty and that he had the evidence to prove it. After hiring me, I challenged to investigator to prove he had evidence to show my client's guilt; the investigator could not. Days later, the pharmacy found the missing medication in a miss labeled container; it was never stolen in the first place. No charges were ever filed and my client's file with the pharmacy board investigating the crime was closed, clearing his name. Later, one of the accusers apologized to my client for the allegation.
In Ohio, a client was accused of assault for hitting another man in the face, knocking him out. At trial, I argued self-defense based upon my client hitting him in order to protect himself from being attacked. After discrediting the story of the alleged victim, my client was found NOT GUILTY and the self-defense argument was successful.
In Hamilton County, Ohio, a client was accused of having sex with a minor. The minor testified that physical evidence and DNA was on her body from the sexual activity. The attending nurse who examined the victim testified differently, stating that no evidence was found on her. The jury found my client NOT GUILTY. My client was released from jail and is free.
In a high profile case in Butler County, Ohio, my teenage client was charged with assisting two others in murdering a person at a hotel. I challenged her involvement and argued strongly on her behalf. The jury found her guilty of being part of the crime based upon statements she made to police prior to my involvement in the case. I was able to successfully argue for a sentence less than that of the other defendant who received life in prison. She will be eligible for parole in her forties.
In Kentucky, I challenged the constitutionality of the sex offender residency restriction law on behalf of a client charged with living within 1000 feet of a park. The trial court granted our motion to dismiss. The prosecutor's office appealed the case to the Supreme Court of Kentucky, asking them to review the law. I recently argued to case before the Supreme Court asking them to uphold the dismissal and find the law unconstitutional. At this time I am still awaiting the Supreme Court's decision.
In Hamilton County, Ohio, a client was accused of embezzling over $20,000.00 from the store he managed by taking deposits and falsifying the accounting books. After reviewing the accounting records and his work records, I was able to show he did not steal the money. The case was tried before a judge who found him NOT GUILTY. My client went free and has a clean record today.
Family Law
Our client was charged with four counts of kidnapping. His estranged wife and their three children were the alleged victims. The client and his wife were living separate and apart after the wife filed for divorce. The wife claimed that our client held her and their three children at gunpoint, in his home, for several hours before finally allowing her and the two oldest children to leave. After she complained to the police, a SWAT team was called in to apprehend our client. At trial, the Wife's credibility was destroyed as a result of our cross-examination that lasted most of the afternoon. The jury returned a not guilty finding on all counts.
When our client first came in to discuss her custody case she had on weekend a month visitation with her daughter. She was also obligated to pay child support. After several hearings our client was designated as the child's primary custodial parent. The father relinquished his parental rights a few months later, and our client's husband adopted the child.
Our client was a victim of domestic violence when she first came in to speak with us. Her husband was verbally and physically abusive to our client. After counseling with our client, we filed motions seeking orders of protection and dissolution of the marriage. The Court agreed with our arguments and ordered the Husband out of the marital residence and to have no contact with our client. The Husband violated the protection orders and was criminally prosecuted. Fortunately for our client, the Husband's experience in criminal court served as a deterrent from any further contact. Our client now lives a peaceful and productive life.
When our client first contacted us, her divorce case had already gone to trial. She did not attend the trial, and was not represented by an attorney at trial. Her husband was awarded all the marital property, including the retirement plans and vehicles. Our client was awarded the personal property in her current possession, which amounted to some clothing. After we got involved in the case, the decision was set aside. Following negotiations, our client received her marital share of the property, vehicles and most importantly, the retirement plans.
