Plea to an amended count of misdemeanor 4th Degree DWI. Not only did we achieve a plea to a misdemeanor DWI - a much improved record from the gross misdemeanor charge - but the client was placed on unsupervised probation, meaning he never has to meet with probation or pay the probationary charge (a hidden fee that we are always cognizant of and try to avoid if possible). Despite a reading more than two times the legal limit and no viable defenses, the client never served time in custody, has the minimum fine to pay, and never has to deal with probation. A great outcome under these circumstances and the goal the client had in retaining us.

Continuance for dismissal. Even with the presence of children outside the bus, the North Star team (both Mr. Gempeler and Mr. Duffy) achieved this best possible plea negotiation. Usually, these are rare outcomes for a gross misdemeanor offense involving children. Thankfully, we knew how to approach the case, made a strong pitch, and, of course, our strong relationships with the prosecutors once again did not hurt our clients when we advocated on their behalf. What makes this outcome that much more important is that the client will be applying for naturalization in the coming year and this outcome will greatly reduce any impact this could have had on their application.

Executed sentence on the underlying probation violation matter and a stay of execution with no additional time to serve on the Escape from Custody case. The client absconded from custody after not returning to jail from work release. He was on the run for a year before getting picked up on a new crime in a different county. This was also a second violation of his probation for the underlying DWI. In a county known for being unfriendly to defendants, the North Star team litigated this matter and worked hard on a strong sentencing argument in what was otherwise a lost case. The County Attorney requested an additional 90 days to be served on the Escape charge after the client was ordered to complete the full sentence of the DWI. After litigating the matter, the County Attorney then asked for a full year to be consecutive to the DWI sentence. Thankfully, Mr. Gempeler made a thoughtful and strong sentencing argument. And the Judge gave our client one final chance, ordering he receive a stay of execution (meaning NO JAIL (which was beyond even our expectations)) on the escape from custody case. The client and his wife are so happy they retained the North Star team to fight for them when they needed an advocate the most.

Plea to a misdemeanor 4th degree DWI and dismissal of the more serious gross misdemeanor refusal charge. On top of getting the plea to a misdemeanor, the sentence called for no jail or community service, a minimal fine, and easy to follow terms of probation. The client had zero defenses and had a high PBT reading. Still, the North Star team achieved exactly what it and the client set out to with plea negotiations and was able to convince the prosecutor to come off his initial offer to the gross misdemeanor. Another satisfied client, thankful for the hard work and diligence by North Star.

Plea to an amended count of careless driving. The client faced a bogus (arguably) charge of refusal, despite making multiple attempts to submit a sufficient breath test. Leveraging a legal issue relating to this, the North Star team successfully negotiated this fantastic outcome without even having to argue it to the court. Now, a gross misdemeanor offense is reduced to a non-DWI misdemeanor conviction that does not include any time to serve.

Dismissed. Client was facing second-degree DWI charges stemming from a second-time DWI and a high reading. But, she made the right decision to retain Mr. Gempeler and the North Star team to fight for her. The officer made a welfare check for the client's car parked on the side of an on-ramp. The reports don't mention the positive facts, but the video shows - despite the presence of multiple clues of possible impairment - that the Officer stated (TWICE) that he did not believe the client was impaired. So, a later DWI investigation seemed to be beyond the scope of the stop and interaction. After raising this issue, the prosecutor called Mr. Gempeler the day before the contested hearing and agreed to dismiss the case entirely. Another incredible outcome for the North Star team.

Dismissed on the morning of trial. The client was wrongly accused of being in physical control of a vehicle, when he instead was merely a passenger with his buddy as they were using the vehicle to stay warm and find a sober ride home. Armed with a strong defense for trial, the client refused all offers, even when they kept improving on the doorstep of trial. Ready for his day in court and for a jury to find in his favor, the State finally dismissed the case. Understandably, a huge win for a deserving client. And it goes to show, being prepared and willing to take on a trial can lead to great results, even without a trial actually starting.

Update: The North Star team successfully litigated the implied consent license revocation, arguing the client was not in physical control of the vehicle. The Judge agreed and gave the client back his driving privileges and his driving record will not have the equivalent of a DWI on his record. This is a complete win on all fronts by North Star.

Plea to a single count of gross misdemeanor DWI. What makes this outcome so great is the sentence received. The client was dead to rights and had no legal defense. He had two prior DWI's within ten years and a high reading of .21 - this is often referred to as a Super-2 DWI. For a third-offense, the statutory mandate is for 30 days to be served in custody with 60 days on house arrest. Here, the client was sentenced to only 30 days on house arrest and placed on unsupervised probation for just two years. Needless to say, a fantastic outcome considering what should have been coming his way.