Plea to two gross misdemeanor crimes - one drug possession and the false info. The client had a small amount of two drugs found on his person, but with a prior drug conviction, the client was facing two felony charges. Complicating things further, the client had a warrant for a parole violation in Texas and facing an extradition case separate from the underlying criminal case. Thankfully, the client was afforded bail on both cases, checked himself into rehab, gained sobriety, and proved to the Court that he was facing his past, rather than running from it. Mr. Gempeler then leveraged a legal motion challenging the evidence for one of the drug charges to get the needed outcome - a non-felony record. Now with this outcome, the client has a chance to avoid further incarceration on his old warrant. Even when faced with long odds, the North Star team knows how to fight to get the necessary results for its clients.

This case, concerning the accidental complete destruction of the Lolo restaurant (and the pavilion at Bde Maka Ska) initially received massive local media attention and threatened to derail a promising young man's future. Mr. Adkins labored mightily to move the case off obvious calendars, avoiding cameras and intrusive media demands, and put the case into a form of stasis until the attention reduced. North Star will never seek to gain attention from the troubles their clients face, simply never; our job is to reduce pain, not profit from it. Incredible creativity on Mr. Adkins' part, and an accountable and hustling client, meant this case resolved with no restitution to be paid, notwithstanding more than $1,000,000.00 in damage; client won't spend a single hour in custody, and Mr. Adkins created a form of restorative justice for his client that will involve the client contributing directly to the rebuilding of a treasured community landmark. In nearly three full decades of practice, Mr. Adkins is as proud of this result as any. Please come join North Star, and create your own story of rebirth, and recovery.

Early Discharge from Probation. This probation violation was supported by reams of documentation of failures on the part of Mr. Adkins' new client, but a term of restorative work (and commitment to sobriety) by the client and artful arguments via Zoom technology meant the client is not only not headed to prison or jail, but will be released from probation early with a stern lecture.... If your family member (or you) faces allegations of failure on probation, please don't hesitate to contact North Star immediately. You'll be stunned how much aggressive representation can change the outcomes.

Misdemeanor conviction. Client facing a life-altering felony obtains an agreement from a very conservative county attorney's office to reduce all counts to a misdemeanor. Notwithstanding virtually no available defenses, and a full (and admissible) confession, Mr. Adkins was able to negotiate a radical reduction in exposure for the client, and even permission for the parties to reconnect and work together again. Client has reconnected with his therapist and made massive advancements on his personal life and issues that brought him to this stage. Wonderful stuff.

In the latest example of global-deal/high volume case-per-client litigation, Mr. Adkins successfully kept a young man out of prison, notwithstanding more than eight (!) open felony matters alleging inappropriate contact between his client and a number of domestic partners. Client faced multiple years, up to a decade, in prison, and actually served no more than the sixty days he spent voluntarily in treatment and aftercare. Client is back to work, sober, safe at home with his father, and overjoyed that he found North Star Criminal Defense.

In another huge win for a client with multiple cases in multiple counties, Mr. Adkins secured gross misdemeanor convictions only for a client with a recent history of drug convictions, who was facing a mandatory trip to prison, and who will now suffer no more than the time she voluntarily spent in treatment and relapse prevention. Stunning reversal for a great, beloved client of this firm's.

Stay of Adjudication. In his latest foray into juvenile court, Mr. Adkins secured a stay of adjudication notwithstanding multiple thousands of dollars worth of damage from a fire set by his client in a fit of asshattery. Client worked his tail off to get volunteer hours completed before a meaningful hearing, which helped immensely, but Mr. Adkins' negotiations turned the tide from a case that could have had adult record ramifications, down to essentially a brief term of probation and no record of adjudication or conviction. Massive win.

CLIENT RELEASED, some fifty (50) months early. This client, who was represented by another firm when he entered a plea of guilty to First Degree Drug charges hoping for a sentencing departure to probation, was instead immediately remanded to state prison for a lengthy term. His health, already radically declining on the day he was sentenced, immediately disqualified him from any programming (such as the Challenge Incarceration Program, or 'Boot Camp') that would have ended his prison stay quickly or at any discount. The client hired North Star to be creative in challenging his sentence and to secure his release in any way humanly possible... and we DID JUST THAT, by way of an order recently permitting him to leave prison immediately. Mr. Adkins and his team used the habeas corpus petition process to get the Court's attention, and convinced the Court and the Department of Corrections' legal team that a release would not only be justified, but would save our client's very life. Compassionate release in the middle of this pandemic is logical, it is wise, and it is increasingly difficult to secure, as political implications infect hearings and conversations about true justice in the face of a deadly invisible enemy. If your loved one is serving a prison sentence, anywhere, and you believe their health is threatened (particularly if they suffer from a preexisting deadly condition or are likely to develop severe reactions to the coronavirus), please contact the team at North Star immediately. There are few lawyers on the planet who have successfully litigated these issues, and Dan and James would love to win for you, and yours.