Outright dismissal! A complete win! Mr. Adkins took this wonderful lady, who had made some unfortunate decisions with a bequest in the many thousands of dollars, and withdrew her from the justice system completely, with an expedited expungement in the works. Hustle matters, in the accountability game, as does creativity and accountability. In this instance, no record impact will result, no headaches, no fines, nothing. North Star Criminal Defense is absurdly proud of the record we make, every day, every month, but we are prouder still of the wonderful humans we get to assist, and the incredible stories of recovery of which we get to be a small, but integral, part. Hire us, and watch what we can do!

Continuance for Dismissal. This matter, involving an employee dipping deep into the company cash register, could have resulted in not only a conviction and the related (turpitude, meaning lying/cheating/stealing) massive collateral consequences, is now continued for dismissal, with no sanctions whatsoever, and the client can return to a quiet life while chasing full status in our wonderful nation. Some folks have so much more to lose than others, even from a misdemeanor—but not with Dan or James or Sean on the case. We get results, because we don’t take the first ’No’ to mean anything, and our devotion and creativity are permanent features of every case we handle. This client is overjoyed, with cause.

In a remarkable legal outcome, Dan achieved a stay of adjudication despite the State's strong objections. This was largely due to the extensive and well-coordinated campaign led by Dan, alongside the full repayment of the disputed amount, significantly lower than what was initially indicated in the audit process. As a result, our client will not face any conviction related to this matter, which at one point had the potential to escalate into a large-scale federal prosecution. Our proactive and ongoing involvement from the very beginning of this case was critical in ensuring that our client’s life remained unchanged and uninterrupted. She can continue to thrive in her industry without the looming threat of imprisonment.

Continuance for Dismissal. The client was charged with stealing merchandise from local Target stores that totaled $550.95. Our young law clerk, Mr. Hoppe, with just a little oversight from the veteran attorneys on the team, was able to achieve an incredible outcome that resulted in the client essentially receiving a second chance - fine, no entry at place of theft, and no same or similar incidents. Assuming the client stays law-abiding for a year under unsupervised probation, the case will be completely dismissed and will stay off their record. Besides an outright dismissal, this is the best possible result a client can achieve in their case. A pretty damn great result achieved by our clerk, who managed this while balancing a full school schedule. He has bright future, to say the least.

North Star successfully secured a stay of adjudication for our client, who faced two challenging charges of theft within her family. This outcome was achieved after she demonstrated remarkable dedication by fully pre-paying the required restitution prior to the court proceedings. This case illustrates the importance of perseverance, innovative strategies, and a strong sense of accountability, especially when confronting daunting circumstances. Despite the adverse facts, Dan was able to navigate the situation effectively, delivering results that surpass those achieved by many other national firms handling similar cases. Dan's commitment and creativity in difficult situations truly set us him apart in the legal field.

Despite strong opposition from the State, Dan secured a Stay of Imposition for a client facing multiple charges, an expanding list of alleged victims, and serious exposure to incarceration and restitution demands. The prosecution pushed aggressively for a Stay of Execution with significant penalties, but through strategic advocacy and the client’s genuine remorse, the court granted a more lenient resolution—one that avoided the most damaging consequences.

This outcome allowed the client to keep his business running, begin repaying damages, and continue supporting his family—a critical win that balanced accountability with stability. In a tough jurisdiction known for harsh prosecution, this case shows how thoughtful legal representation and a client’s commitment to change can lead to impactful, practical results.

Stay of Adjudication with no restitution! State initially demanded a conviction and restitution of nearly $40K, and one of the State’s most conservative judges on the bench would not have likely permitted any resolution short of an all-but-unwinnable jury trial. However, Mr. Adkins employed creativity in extremis, and with a client committed to recovering and repairing the damage (the victims were in her family), the result is no conviction, restitution of less than $400, a path to expunging the entire matter—and a result that forced Probation Agents and the Judge to repeatedly ask if this was in fact the plan—it is that lenient, that much in favor of our ecstatic and wonderful client. Justice booming.

Stay of Adjudication. State initially demanded a conviction and substantial jail term, but Defendant’s hustle and Mr. Adkins’ artful arguments (commercial theft cases can often involve substantial witness and documentation challenges, creating a point of leverage for a gifted defender) resulted in a 6-month stay with no conviction and no collateral consequences. Client would have been immediately fired, and thereafter un-employable, with a conviction. Client is overjoyed.