In this Juvenile petition, Mr. Adkins connected the very young driver who, while distracted, struck a young pedestrian, who was fortunately not badly injured, with a program called Circles of Justice, and the case is now DISMISSED… after the State initially demanded a conviction and significant sanctions and challenges to the young client’s driving capacity. Restorative justice is mightily hard to obtain, unfortunately, in Minnesota Courts, and you will need a very creative and driven defender to access these lifesaving programs. North Star has a proven record of success, even in some instances where the State adamantly opposed the option to start. We get results, because we have wonderful clients who deserve our best work—and they get it.

A client on a roll, of late, with a mountain of open traffic citations, hired Dan and saw why that was smart, with a result in Wisconsin that cannot be topped. NO impact on Minnesota privileges, a very manageable fine, and no report to DMV or insurance carriers. Remarkable results.

Reduced to a petty misdemeanor driving citation, no crime, small fine, all original counts dismissed. Client, a Guardsman receiving his first deployment in the new year, hustled to get his affairs in order, completed a safe driving class at Dan's recommendation, and now preserves his utterly clean criminal and driving record, after a night of remarkably poor choices. North Star revels in the chance to assist service men and -women, and veterans of all branches; client is over the moon, rightly so. A red letter result!

Dismissal and acquittal. The reckless driving charge was dismissed during pre-trial litigation after Mr. Gempeler correctly argued that the facts were insufficient to support such a baseless claim. And then, after not receiving any plea negotiation offers other than plead as charged, Mr. Gempeler won a court trial on the 117 mph speeding ticket. That's two trial wins in a row for this exact type of charge - which is nearly unheard of, considering how easy it truly is for a prosecutor to prove a speeding case. Undeterred, Mr. Gempeler is diligent in his approach, knowing the nuances and statutory requirements, and then how to effectively incorporate them into a successful cross examination and closing argument. Such a win not only prevented a criminal record, it also avoided a six-month loss of license that would otherwise come from a conviction for driving in excess of 100 mph.

Continuance for Dismissal. Two clients were charged with School Bus Stop Arm Violations each. After carefully reviewing the discovery materials, there were no defenses to either charge, as the crime was caught on squad video and the violation was clear as day. Mr. Gempeler was undeterred and strategically negotiated with the State by humanizing his clients and providing important context about the violations. The State relented and agreed to resolve both cases with Continuances for Dismissal. As long as the clients remain law-abiding for one year and pay the applicable fines, the charges will be dismissed. This resolution prevents criminal convictions and negative driving records, representing a significant victory for the clients.

Continuance for Dismissal. At first, there was no offer on the table to resolve this case. But, with Mr. Hoppe's persistence, he secured the best outcome for the client under the circumstances. As long as the client stays law-abiding for a year and pays the applicable fine, the case will be dismissed. To avoid a criminal record, let along a traffic record, is fantastic for the client and yet another example of the talent this young man has under our watch.

Plea to a petty misdemeanor failing to drive with due care. The client was flying on 494 in his expensive sports car, going in excess of 110+ mph. The City added the serious criminal charges as a way to combat against such fast drivers. Add in the fact that a conviction to excessive speeding would result in a 6-month loss of license, the client was stressed about the possibility of a criminal record and losing his license. The North Star team fought back though, challenging the legal basis for the misdemeanor charges. With the hearing days away, we were then able to leverage it to reach a resolution that did not result in a loss of license or a criminal conviction. The client was floored, never expecting such a fantastic result. This is what we do, routinely.

Stay of adjudication. This outcome ensures the client will not be convicted of a crime following a traffic accident - an important result for the client. Additionally, this outcome should avoid a probation violation from a prior careless driving conviction. Two major wins for the client so he can move forward without a record.