Case Results

Plea to a tab charge of disorderly conduct and stay of adjudication on a domestic assault charge. The DANCO case was dismissed entirely. And no DANCO was issued during the pendency of the client's probation. This last part was absolutely critical because the client is a military member and the presence of a DANCO would result in the loss of his firearm rights and being out of the Army. And this plea agreement provided him a chance to avoid a domestic conviction, which again would have jeopardized his military career. Most cases where a DANCO violation is added to a domestic charge result in at least one conviction to a domestic type charge. The North Star team avoided this and saved this client's future with the Army.

Plea to an amended count of Careless Driving as a misdemeanor. Typically, any plea to a lesser count on a 3rd Degree DWI is to a 4th Degree - a benefit, but still a DWI. Here, Mr. Gempeler worked out the rare negotiation to a careless driving offense. What makes this outcome even more impressive is the fact that the client's prior was relatively recent and he was involved in a single-vehicle accident, street-racing towards his apartment complex. Despite comments at the time of the incident that were not favorable, Mr. Gempeler still worked the case up to proffer a post-driving consumption defense that was used to leverage this incredible result. Proof again, it's imperative to get a team that will fight hard and go the extra mile for your defense.

Plea to a 3rd Degree DWI without any jail to be served - a departure from the statutory mandatory minimum. The client was facing second degree charges due to a prior and the presence of her young child in the car at the time of the incident. Further complicating things was the fact that she was in a single-vehicle accident. Despite these issues, the North Star team negotiated a remarkable outcome in which the mandatory minimum of 30 days to be served was ignored and she pled to a lesser degree DWI. Even the Judge was surprised by the outcome, but went along with it because of the persuasive argument and negotiation by Mr. Gempeler. The bottom line, when you think you are in a position that has no hope, our team will find it for you and get the best possible deal possible.

Stay of imposition and only 180 days in custody to be served. Staring a prison commitment of 48 months, the North Star team guided the Defendant to an incredible outcome whereby he only has to serve 180 days in a local jail - with work release privileges - and, upon his successful completion of probation, he can earn a misdemeanor conviction. An absolutely incredible outcome for a young man who still has a bright future, despite some terrible decisions one night.

Stay of imposition, resulting in the gross misdemeanor being reduced to a misdemeanor after her successful completion of probation. This is a fantastic result for the client for a number of reasons. First, she was facing third degree charges because her child was in the car with her at the time. Typically, prosecutors are not keen on negotiating to a favorable result, let alone a misdemeanor. Second, the client had three conditional release violations for using alcohol when she was ordered by the Court to not use. Jail time was imposed for the violations. But, when there are violations - especially so many - again, obtaining any kind of a favorable outcome is next to impossible. Yet, the North Star team was able to use its great relationship with a fantastic prosecutor who believed us when describing the struggles and successes our client has had during her road to sobriety. Because of this and her continued efforts to sobriety, the client still earned a stay of imposition from the Court. For a first-time offender with eight children, this was a needed win for and her future. This is why we love what we do.

Plea to a creative Careless Driving record. The client blew a .11, which was .02 more than the cut-off the city prosecutor typically has for offering a careless driving conviction on first-time offenders. But, through savvy negotiating, including a great relationship with the prosecutor, the North Star team was able to obtain this incredible outcome. A creative careless means that the client will only have a careless driving conviction on his record following his successful completion of probation. This was a fantastic result for a young man that has high aspirations of traveling the country for work purposes. And it goes to show that even when the options may not present much from a defense standpoint, the North Star team knows how to create leverage points to obtain incredible results.

Plea to the bottom count, speeding, as a petty misdemeanor. This case took the utmost strategy and leverage from the North Star team to negotiate this favorable outcome out of a very stubborn (putting it nicely) prosecutor. The reckless driving charge stemmed from a single-vehicle accident. Yet, with the prospects of a probable cause challenge and possible court trial to follow, the North Star team pushed until it got the appropriate outcome. This outcome was critical for the client to avoid accumulating points on his employment driving record that could have been used to terminate him. Needless to say, with so much on the line, the client made the right decision to trust North Star to get him through this complicated case.

Plea to a 4th Degree DWI as a misdemeanor. The client blew in excess of twice the legal limit and got into a multi-vehicle accident. Under these facts, obtaining a truly favorable outcome is challenging. With the right defense strategy, the North Star team not only got a plea to a reduced count, but it also avoided any further time in custody and obtained a low fine for a deserving client. The client is thrilled to put this regrettable incident behind her and knows that she is in the best position possible going forward.