Cases where substance abuse is present can be challenging. However, last week, MN criminal defense attorney Avery Appelman used his experience and expertise to find justice and help for a client whose case seemed nearly impossible.
“I represent a client who has multiple offenses in many counties. Some of the cases have been resolved and the client is on probation, some of the cases are still active prosecutions requiring court appearances. Some background on the client, a person who suffers from chemical dependency, one who has very little financial resources and even less family or friends for support. Through diligent work and cooperation with various counties this client was able to be placed in an inpatient treatment program and resides in a halfway house today.
This client had a felony court appearance this morning. Prior to court we spent some time discussing the case and what was going to happen. As we were talking, the client began opening letters that had been collecting while in treatment. One of the letters was a summons for a probation violation hearing, which this client did not attend. I then set in motion a usual system employed by the Appelman Law Firm in just these circumstances.
I discussed this situation with our senior legal assistant, Haley Fee. Mrs. Fee verified the existence of a “body only” warrant for this client and immediately set off to have the warrant quashed. Mrs. Fee determined who the criminal signing judge was in the county that issued the warrant and spoke to that judge’s clerk and explained the situation: that the client had been in an inpatient treatment program at the time of the hearing and would have been present but for her placement. Mrs. Fee documented this in writing and sent the judge an order for his signature to quash the warrant. The judge agreed to quash the warrant!
It was 40 minutes from the time we discovered the warrant to the time the we had a copy of the judge’s signed order.
This was fortunate for our client, as we were leaving probation, two sheriffs deputies were summoned by the probation officer to take the client into custody. I spoke with the deputies, showed them the email scanned copy of the judge’s order quashing the warrant and they agreed there was no need to take my client into custody.”
Other criminal firms do not offer this form of immediate action. They lack the resources necessary to see that these are acted on swiftly. Absent the internal system developed, honed and perfected by Mrs. Fee, this client would be in jail right now.
Thanks to dedication to customer service the Appelman Law Firm continues to stand as the best choice for criminal defense.
