Local Success: January & February 2018

Michael H. Dagher-Margosian won not guilty verdicts – after a jury deliberated for about fifteen minutes – January 20, 2018, in a case charging domestic assault, assault and battery, and trespass.

Melonie K. Bates won a not guilty verdict from a jury January 11, 2018, in a second-degree home invasion case.

Jennifer J. France, with the Chippewa County Public Defender’s Office, won dismissal in January of a probation violation in an aggravated stalking case. In February, Ms. France successfully obtained suppression of an audio recording from use by the prosecution at trial.

Chad D. Catalino, Supervising Attorney of the Misdemeanor Division of the Muskegon County Public Defender’s Office, reported that Assistant Public Defender Katherine M. Gorski won not guilty verdicts following a bench trial January 19, 2018, in a case involving aggravated assault charges. On that same day, Assistant Defender Angella R. Doremire also won a not guilty verdict for her client, and, on February 15, 2018, Assistant Defender Charles Martin Ayres, II, won a not guilty verdict from a jury in a domestic violence case.

Adam Vanderpols, with the Madarang Hoort & Associates firm, won a not guilty verdict in an assault and battery case in the 64A Judicial District Court (Ionia) on January 19, 2018.

Joshua P. Rubin won not guilty verdicts from a jury January 23, 2018, in the 31st Judicial (St. Clair County) Circuit Court, in a case with three criminal counts, including assault by strangulation and domestic violence. Mr. Rubin also obtained not guilty verdicts in two jury trials in the 72nd Judicial District Court (Port Huron); one case involved a domestic violence charge, and the other case involved an aggravated assault charge.

Adil Haradhvala had three recent successes. On January 22, 2018, in the 16th Judicial (Macomb County) Circuit Court, he obtained dismissal of a felony count of capturing an image of an unclothed person, thereby avoiding the felony conviction and SORA registration; on January 25, 2018, also in the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, he negotiated a concealed weapon charge into a diversionary program; and, on January 30, 2018, Mr. Haradhvala negotiated a reduction of a five-year felony charge down to a 93-day misdemeanor in the 37th Judicial District Court (Warren). On February 13, 2018, Mr. Haradhvala was able to get a client acquitted of the charges of unlawful imprisonment and unarmed robbery following a bench trial in the 16th Judicial (Macomb County) Circuit Court; the client was convicted of the lesser offenses of misdemeanor aggravated assault and larceny in a building.

Jonathan B. D. Simon won a not guilty verdict for his client in a third-degree home invasion case after a bench trial in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court.

Wendy H. Barnwell won not guilty verdicts after a bench trial February 6, 2018, in a case in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court charging carrying a concealed weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and felony firearm.

Jordan Zuppke won a not guilty verdict from a jury in a domestic violence case in the 35th Judicial District Court (Plymouth).


by Neil Leithauser
Associate Editor