Case Results

Client agreed to a diversionary outcome, meaning she is neither convicted nor even offers a plea of guilty as part of the agreement. And so long as she abides by the minimal terms of the diversionary agreement, the matter will be dismissed in one-year. This is a great result for a deserving client. Fearful of facing a felony for switching UPC codes while at Target - and no meaningful defense to it - the client is thrilled to walk away without a criminal record.

Client pled guilty to a gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation and received a stay of adjudication on the drug crime. As a result, the client will never be convicted of a felony. Additionally, the sentence did not call for time to serve in custody and only requires him to stay sober - which he has proven for the last year. This is a remarkable outcome because the facts are not pretty. He was both drunk and had a controlled substance in his system - plus pills found in his vehicle. He ended up rolling the vehicle, causing his passenger to be thrown from it. Luckily, the passenger did not suffer serious injuries. And, due to some aggressive discovery requested by the North Star team, we got the records to verify that the injuries sustained were not nearly as serious as initially feared, resulting in the opportunity to plead to a non-felony CVO. The client is ecstatic that he will avoid a felony conviction and jail time. Even the judge commented that he normally sends defendants to jail on these type of allegations, but the plea agreement took that decision out of his hands.

Plea to a 3rd Degree DWI-Refusal. The client exhibited horrible driving conduct and registered a PBT significantly above .20. Needless to say, no defenses existed and he was clearly at an elevated alcohol concentration. Compounding all of that, he refused the formal breath test at the station, which prosecutors despise as it shows noncooperation. Despite all of these facts stacked against him, the North Star team negotiated an outcome in which the client faces no jail time, a minimal fine, and credit for having completed a chemical dependency assessment, a MADD panel, and a DWI class. As a result, the client will receive the benefit of being on unsupervised probation. Given the challenging facts, no jail and unsupervised probation is a great outcome and one the client is very pleased with.

In this latest example of bulk-arrest/pending cases/global negotiations, Mr. Adkins secured a boot camp comprehensive sentence for a client facing decades in prison for a variety of open cases, in five separate counties. The client's commitment to sobriety, documented over three distinct treatment protocols completed, and helped push the prosecutors to our preferred outcome. James and Dan are consummate professionals, but more often than not, a dedicated and open-minded client will prove to be the linchpin in a successful recovery and negotiation. Be that client.

This client, looking at a nearly automatic lengthy prison hit for repeated arrests, failure to communicate with parole agents, failure to update address... was able to secure release through North Star's efforts, with no more sanction than time served. These hearings, held before a former parole agent (who is nearly never a lawyer, and often immune to defense arguments), are virtually impossible to win, but Mr. Adkins and a thoughtful and committed client secured a fantastic result.

Client avoids a permanent felony, avoids substantial jail, moves off highly restrictive gun limitations--all of which is remarkable, given not one but two arrests or new legal challenges after arrest. North Star takes a comprehensive approach with every client, even those not ready to cease poor decisions... and we never, ever give up, not on our clients or on fundamental justice.

Plea to an amended count of misdemeanor 4th Degree DWI. The client had an elevated alcohol concentration on a first-time offense. Not only did the North Star team negotiate a plea to a misdemeanor level offense, we also obtained unsupervised probation for the client, meaning she will never meet with probation and has nothing to do for the next year but stay good. Now, the client can put this behind her without having to worry about ongoing obligations. This was an incredibly deserving outcome for a wonderful client.

Continuance for dismissal. The client was alleged to have partaken in a written bomb threat made inside a high school. It goes without saying that this was a major case that the State was committed to pursuing to the full extent that they could. The State even went so far as to hire a handwriting expert to help its case. Nonetheless, the North Star team stepped up and prepared an excellent defense to the case, including retaining an expert of our own to successfully counter the State's expert opinion. Eventually, with thoughtful discussions about the factual issues the State has and a deserving client, Mr. Gempeler finally got the State to come down to this incredible offer - one that does not include an admission to any facts and ultimately leads to a dismissal of the entire case after six short months on probation with minimal conditions. The client and his family could not be happier it chose the North Star team to fight for their son, who can now push forward in his life without a devastating criminal record.