Case Results

County Attorney's office DECLINED TO CHARGE the client and even went so far as instructed the investigator to immediately release the client from custody. Within hours of being retained, the North Star team gathered sufficient information from the family to relay to the County Attorney who was in the middle of reviewing the file for charging. With this additional information, the choice was clear - this client needed to be released without charges immediately and returned to her family. The family was overjoyed at this news and emphasized they were right to choose our team over other firms they were considering. Another case where the North Star team's immediate hustle and tenacity leads to another incredible result.

Plea to a 3rd Degree DWI. On a third time offense, the statute "mandates" 30 days in custody and an additional 60 on house arrest. With a very aggressive and strategic approach, the North Star team was able to get the prosecutor to agree to a cap of 45 days and let us argue to the Court on how that was to be served (i.e. jail or house arrest). With a strong sentencing letter submitted in advance, along with an impassioned argument at sentencing, the judge allowed the client to serve the balance of his time on house arrest. On top of that, the previously forfeited vehicle was returned to the client as well. A truly incredible and rare outcome that the North Star team achieved. This is why you need a firm like ours - we push, fight, and get outcomes that otherwise seem unobtainable, except to us.

Plea to a misdemeanor 4th Degree DWI. Client blew well over twice the legal limit. Still, without any legal defense, the North Star team leveraged an outcome that called for no jail or community service, a minimal fine, and unsupervised probation for one-year. This last part saved the client hundreds of dollars, too.

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 a petty misdemeanor failing to maintain lane control. A petty misdemeanor is not a crime in Minnesota. Knowing the State had a weak case with a .078 reading (though, the State can always call an expert to show that the alcohol concentration at the time of driving was above .08), the North Star team pushed it to trial, while continually negotiating with the prosecutor. On the day of trial, with a great deal in hand, we pushed one last time and got an offer to nothing more than a simple traffic citation - a non-crime. This outcome avoids the risk of trial - and there is always risk - and obtains a non-crime, non-probationary outcome, while also avoiding any potential loss of license stemming from a potential trial loss. The client was thrilled to get such an incredible outcome, having already expressed a desire to not go to trial.

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.