Case Summaries

The following represents cases we have handle and results we have obtained:

Family Law:  Custody and spousal support typically are the most difficult issues in a divorce.

• Custody & Parenting time:
  
  
  • The firm doubled the parenting time of the non-custodial father in Raritan over the objection of the mother in Hillsborough (2008)
  • We successfully petitioned the court for a change of custody to remove a child from a detrimental home environment, placing the child with our Manville client (2008).
  • We prevented incarceration of a Bernardsville mother despite the attempts of the father who alleged the mother was inviolation of court orders.  We not only prevented incarceration of the mother but also reversed the order upon which the father relied (2008).
  • We obtained an order for a 50/50 custody for a father in Frankin, who had been allowed to spend only a few hours a week with his children.   By the end of the case, the children were with our client in excess of the 50% court order (2007).
  • We were able to demonstrate severe problems with an investigation barring a Manville woman from seeing her children through a Somerset County Court Order, increasing her rights to be with her children (2007).
  • The firm was retained by a woman who was barred by the Somerset Superior Court from seeing her children, demonstrated severe problems with the investigation and obtained a new order, allowing the mother to be with her children (2006).
  • The firm litigated against grandparent visitation in Somerset County case which reached the New Jersey Supreme Court, winning the issue for the parents at each stage of the trial and appeals (2006 - 2008).
    
    
• Spousal support:
  
  
  • Term (limited duration) alimony:  we have on several occasions negotiated term alimony in potential permanent alimony cases, including timed reductions in alimony during the term.
  • Termination of support: we successfully represented a client from Bound Brook to terminate his permanent alimony obligation based on cohabitation of the supported spouse (2007).
  • Palimony: the firm successfully defended a Flemington client against a claim for palimony in a matter involving ten years of cohabitation (2007).

Criminal: the firm represents both juvenile and adult clients accused of indictable crimes (juvenile matters typically are filed in the Family Court, but can have repercussions similar to those of regular criminal matters).

• Juvenile
  
  
  • The firm obtained non-custodial probation for a juvenile who had committed an assaultive robbery on videotape in Somerset County, New Jersey (2008).
  • The firm represented a Readington, New Jersey juvenile charged with second degree resisting and eluding arrest, third degree unlawful taking of a vehicle, and obstructing the administration of the law; a conviction would have resulted in mandatory incarceration. The juvenile court dismissed all charges and the client was accepted into an extremely selective college (2004).
    
    
•  Adult
  
  

  • The firm obtained the dismissal of an assault charge filed against a Bridgewater woman in the Fall of 2000. 
    
  • The firm obtained dismissal of drug paraphernalia and underage consumption of alcohol charges against a Bridgewater college student in the Fall of 2009. The young man pleaded guilty to a town ordinance and paid a small fine.
  • In the Fall of 2009, the firm got a Bernardsville burglary defendant into the Pre-trial Intervention program so that the criminal charge may be dismissed.
    
  • The firm obtained Pre-Trial Intervention for an unlawful immigrant client indicted for unlawful trespass (2009).
  • The firm obtained dimaisssal or an unlawful immigrant client indicted for unlawful use of heroin (2009).
  • The firm obtained a dismissal of a Hillsborough client's charges of third degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and fourth degree unlawful taking of a means of conveyance (commonly referred to as "joyriding") (2009).
  • The firm took over a Somerset County matter where the client had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of third degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. We demonstrated that the client was guilty of only one count; the other two counts were lesser offenses. Instead of the 180 days in jail set forth in the previous plea agreement, the client spent no overnights in jail, but rather served community service working for the Sheriff's Department for a number of weekends (2008).
  • The firm obtained pretrial intervention, or PTI (a dismissal if the client stays out of trouble) for a young Somerville client who had committed multiple acts of vandalism, over the initial objection of both the prosecutor and the court (2008).
  • The firm obtained PTI for a Bedminster client charged with hindering apprehension for sneaking two burglars away from a crime scene during a police manhunt (2008).
  • The firm successfully appealed a Middlesex Borough, New Jersey client's Municipal Court convictions of criminal mischief and harassment. Mr. Wilson had not represented the client on the initial trial. On appeal, the client's criminal record was wiped clean and all monies the client had paid in fines were returned to him (2008).
  • The firm obtained a dismissal of a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm for a client was a college senior from a prestigious university with a bright future (2007).
  • The firm won a rare motion to suppress drugs seized from a car stopped in a parking lot in Franklin Township, New Jersey.  All charges were dropped following the successful suppression of the evidence (2005).

Municipal Court/DWI/Insurance

• DWI
  
  • In the Fall of 2009, the firm successfully excluded breath alcohol readings of .14 for a Somerset County DWI defendant. The defendant lost his driver’s license for 3 months, instead of 7 to 12 months.
  • In the winter of 2009, a Somerset County client faced a 7 to 12 month loss of driver’s license for DWI with a BAC reading of above .10. Due to various defenses raised by the firm, she lost her license for 3 months only.
  • The firm obtained a dismissal of an Annandale client's DWI charge based on heroin abuse (2009). 
  • In 2009, the firm made a successful "Laurick: applicaton to prevent a client faced with a third DWI offense from serving a mandatory six month jail sentence (2009).
  • In November 2008, the firm obtained a dismissal of a Bridgewater, New Jersey woman's charge of DWI. The client had an Alcotest blood alcohol reading of .12.
  • In the Fall of 2008, the firm succeeded in having a Bridgewater, New Jersey client's third DWI offense treated as a second offense. Instead of a mandatory six months in jail and 10-year loss of his driver's license, the client spent no time in jail and lost his license for only two years.
  • In the Summer of 2008, the firmobtained a dismissal of a young woman's charge of DWI in Plainsboro, New Jersey. 
     
• Insurance
  
  
  • In 2007, the firm obtained a dismissal of a truck driver client's charge of driving without insurance in Branchburg, New Jersey. This saved the client from a one-year loss of his license and preserved his ability to earn a living.

Trusts & Estates/Probate

• The firm drafted an estate plan for a Raritan woman which successfully survived challenge from family members (2005).
• th firm has completed estate administrations involving significant estates for very reasonable fees in Somerset, Middlesex and Hunterdon Counties (2000 to present).
• We have lectured at Raritan Valley Community College on Advance Medical Directives (Living Wills) (2005).
• The Somerset Superior Court appointed the firm guardian ad litem to investigate assets in an estate over $10M (2008).

Business

• The firm has represented software startup company, including operating agreement between principals, contracts, development and licensing agreements with customers, contracts with subcontractors, and nondisclosure and noncompete agreements (2003).
• the firm successfully represented a fruit juice manufacturer in improper installation of flooring at its production facility (2002).
• The firm has successfully mediated disputes among principals of a medical supplies business (2005) and an engineering firm (2007).
• Members of the firm have taught courses at RVCC regarding business entities and formation (2002 - 2004).

Land Use

• Tried successfully to conclusion a challenge to 3,000 unit development in Hillsborough Township in Somerset County (1996 - 2001). 
• Obtained site plan approval for construction of barn in East Amwell, Hunterdon County after being retained following an initial denial and without pursuing expensive appeal or other litigation (2006).
• Obtained a subdivision in Somerset County (Branchburg) on environmentally sensitive property (2007).
• Obtained site plan appoval for construction of single family homes on noncomforming lots in the environmentally sensitive area of the Sourland Mountain in Hunterdon County (East Amwell) (2007).

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