Local Success: March, 2018

Below are trial court victories of our subscribers as reported on SADO’s Forum—an online community for criminal defense attorneys. Subscribers are encouraged to submit their stories of success on SADO’s Forum and/or directly to Associate Editor Neil Leithauser at nleithauserattorney@comcast.net. SADO’s CDRC Subscription information is available by contacting Heather Waara at hwaara@sado.org.


Kristin M. Giommi, Chippewa County Deputy Defender, was able to get a case dismissed where delivery of Ritalin (three counts) and maintaining a drug house charges were involved.

Chad D. Catalino, Muskegon County Chief Assistant Public Defender, won an aggravated indecent exposure and habitual offender fourth offender case; the jury, after about 40 minutes of deliberation, returned with a misdemeanor indecent exposure conviction.

Michael A. Faraone was able to save his client $2,700 in attorney fees in the 16th Judicial (Macomb County) Circuit Court when the circuit judge agreed there was no statutory authority to assess those costs following a mistrial.

Melissa K. Wangler won a not guilty verdict in a marijuana possession case March 9, 2018, in Ogemaw County.

Adil Haradhvala convinced the prosecutor to reduce charges from CSC 1 and CSC 2 down to CSC3 and CSC4 in a case in the 16th Judicial (Macomb
County) Circuit Court and secured a sentence agreement for a sentence at the bottom of the much-reduced guidelines was able to get a CSC case dismissed after continued efforts. The case was initially dismissed on a 180-day violation motion, but the case was then reinstated by the Court of Appeals after a prosecution appeal. Ms. France was then able to have out-of-court and in-court identification suppressed and again moved to dismiss. The prosecutor agreed to dismiss the case, freeing up the client – who was being held on a parole violation – for re-release on parole.

Danielle S. Cadoret won not guilty verdicts March 27, 2018, in the 3rd Judicial (Wayne County) Circuit Court in a case charging felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and felony firearm.

by Neil Leithauser
Associate Editor