Plea to an amended count of failing to drive with due care and the DWI charges are dismissed. Another example of the North Star team not settling for the quick and easy outcome - a careless driving - and instead pushing for the even better outcome. It might not seem like much, but getting a failing to drive with due care may help avoiding termination of insurance coverage and it looks better on the criminal record because it is so atypical. There were no legal defense and no collateral issues to justify this outcome. It was simply us seeking the best possible deal and working hard to get it done.

Plea to an amended count of failing to drive with due care as a misdemeanor and all DWI counts were dismissed. Typically, on first-time DWI offenses, any plea to a non-DWI crime is to careless driving. But here at North Star, we push for better and often get it, such as in this case. For an individual going through the immigration system, achieving such a fantastic result was critical to his chances of successfully navigating the ever-evolving immigration laws. By taking the big picture approach and knowing how to push for the best possible deal - not just a sometimes easy to achieve careless driving - the North Star team is always fighting for our clients and getting the best results possible.

This matter, concerning counts with mandatory prison components, was resolved as a durational departure to a Gross Misdemeanor, with a minimal term of probation and stayed jail, versus a long stint on work release. Client, who had a prior felony DUI conviction, busted his ass to get sober and to verify his return to a lawful life, stunned his judge and prosecutor with his orientation and accountability. This is our favorite work, pulling a victory from sure defeat, as usual—but with a human being at the center, getting right and recovering and becoming a better person, in the process.

Departure granted to avoid presumptive commitment to prison. The client had a high reading on this second-time felony DWI. Compounding this is the fact that he was on probation for his prior felony DWI that had occurred just a couple years prior. Awful facts for a client trying to avoid a prison stint. Undeterred, Mr. Gempeler worked with the client to get back on track and focus on achieving and maintaining sobriety. Thankfully, the client did exactly that, checking himself back into a relapse treatment program soon after the incident. He also managed to get his probation agent in the State he lives (not Minnesota) to support his efforts to avoid prison. So, Mr. Gempeler had the probation agent appear at the sentencing hearing and make a compelling argument that the client is particularly amenable to probation. After hearing from the probation agent and Mr. Gempeler's strong argument, the Court granted a departure to a non-prison sentence. A truly remarkable outcome by the North Star team - which is our norm.

Creative careless driving outcome. This means the client receives a stay of adjudication to a DWI charge and pleads and is convicted of a careless driving charge at the same time. The end result is a conviction just to the careless driving, while the DWI charge is dismissed. This is a unique outcome and one that was needed for a client that does a lot of work in Canada. What makes this even more unique is that Mr. Gempeler obtained this, despite the client blowing a .15 and having no legal defenses to work with. To get a creative non-DWI outcome on a .15 is almost unheard of - yet, that's what we do at North Star Criminal Defense.