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Keeping
a Clean Record
The
client came to the firm with a very serious criminal matter and a strange
story.
He and his girlfriend were out drinking one night and were walking on
their way home. Along the way, they were confronted by two men who began
insulting the client and his girlfriend.
The client ripped off pickets from a nearby fence, and began fighting,
damaging the fence and several cars during the encounter. When the police
arrived, the client was charged with several counts of criminal mischief,
disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
In court we took a daring approach and struck a unique deal with the prosecutor.
The client would pay for the damages he had done. In exchange, the Commonwealth
would drop ALL the charges against the client. The client had 90 days
to make the payments, and we would all return to the court later to dismiss
the charges.
But when we came back to the court, there was a new prosecutor there,
who insisted that the client would have to plead guilty to one of the
charges. The Commonwealth was trying to go back on the deal.
We were not about to allow the Commonwealth to double-cross us. We met
with the judge in chambers and presented detailed notes supporting our
position that the Commonwealth had agreed to drop ALL charges and that
the client did not have to enter a guilty plea of any kind.
The judge was persuaded by our arguments and evidence, and agreed with
us. ALL charges against the client were immediately and permanently dismissed.
The client and his girlfriend were both absolutely thrilled with the results
and thanked us over and over again.
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