WIN\LOSS 2003

 

Last Revision: October 29, 2003

 

1.         PARTIES REDACTED; CRIMINAL CASE: Gwinnett County Superior Court.  In August of 2001, John was charged with child molestation.  He was innocent.  After we had done everything possible, short of going to trial, and short of an indictment, the Gwinnett County Assistant District Attorney Jim Miskell told me on January 7th, 2003, that they were dismissing the action.   I know Jim Miskell, because he was the Assistant District Attorney in a previous case, The State vs. Steve Wyatt, which he had also dismissed after a year and a half of litigation.  This is a settlement with high leverage.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -1- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

2.         PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE:  January 27th, 2003, Forsyth Juvenile Court before Judge R. Jackson.  Compliance hearing pursuant to the December 16th, 2002 Court Order.  Client failed to comply with four or five provisions of the December 16th, 2002, Order.  DFACS argued a Contempt Motion requesting the Court to Order Client to be jailed for 20 days Contempt, for failure to comply.  We contested the DFACS motion that the Court impose a 20 day jail sentence on the client and give the children over to foster care.  We prevailed.  This was a win.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -1-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -1- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

3.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE; Douglas County Juvenile Court.  This was a hearing in which we argued to prevent the custodial aunt from forcing or mentally coercing the 15 year old pregnant child to have an abortion.  The Judge was upset because the young child was pregnant, and it was another horrible situation.  The Judge Ordered the 15 year old out of the Aunt’s custody, Ordered her to foster care, and told her that the future of the unborn child was the decision of the 15 year old Angela.  This is a win. 

 

 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -2-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -1- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

4.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE on February 7th, 2003, before Judge John J. Goger of the Fulton Superior Court, Defendant moved to ask the Court to reconsider its Order on the grounds that the Court found her in Wilful Contempt of Court for denying visitation among other times during the Summer of 2001 and during the Summer of 2002.  We defended on the basis that *** had filed his Notice of Visitation April 30th, 2002. ***’s visitation with the minor child was to start on June 1st, 2002.  ***’s visitation was prevented for eight weeks.  ***’s visitation was denied by Defendant.  Defendant at that time filed false allegations of child molestation against Jon, which we defended successfully. Thus Wife did interfere with Husband’s visitation willfully, from June 1st through June 5th, even though he was supposed to have 8 weeks.  The Oxford Dictionary defines “during” as covering the entire time or covering a part of the times.  The Order which we drafted previously was correct.  The Court denied the Motion, except the Court did free the Defendant from having to pay the $4,500.00 in attorney’s fees on the grounds that she was not working and could never pay it.  This is a win. 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -1- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

5.          PARTIES REDACTED; CRIMINAL CASE: Cherokee County Superior Court.  Client was charged with four (4) counts possession of Methamphetamine, possession of Cocaine, possession of Ecstacy, possession of Marijuana, and driving on a Suspended License.  During the negotiations, the State made an offer to plead client guilty to possession of Methamphetamine, possession of Cocaine, possession of Ecstasy, possession of Marijuana, and driving on a Suspended License with six (6) years probation, $2,000.00 fine, and 120 hours community service.  We rejected that offer.  The State later, when trials were being conducted, made an offer to plead to possession of Marijuana, and driving on a Suspended License, with two years probation, and 80 hours of community service. We rejected that offer.  We counter offered to plead guilty of driving on a Suspended License, with 12 months probation, $1,000.00 fine, and 40 hours community service.  The State accepted this.  This was settlement with extreme high leverage.

 

 

 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -2- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -0-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

6.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE; Gwinnett Superior Court before Judge Richard T. Winegarden. Plaintiff filed a Petition for Modification to Decrease Child Support.  We represented the Defendant, filed an Answer and a Counterclaim for Contempt for Failure to Pay Child Support.  The case was settled on terms favorable to the Defendant.  That’s a settlement.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -2- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -1-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

7.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, March 10th, 2003, Gwinnett County Superior Court before Judge Dawson Jackson.  This was a good settlement.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -2- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -2-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

8.  PARTIES REDACTED; CRIMINAL CASE, March 26th, 2003, Roswell Municipal Court before Judge Cochran.  *** was charged with statutory rape.  Pled client guilty to violation of Roswell City Ordinance, Disorderly Conduct, $500.00 fine, 12 month probation, probation to become non-reporting after successful completion of six month.  Client to pay psychiatric and psychological counseling expenses of victim plus medication up to $500.00 per month for a period of 3 years.  This was a tremendous settlement with high leverage.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -3- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -2-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

 

9.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, April 2nd , 2003, before Judge Reese.  The case was settled on terms satisfactory to both Parties.  This is a settlement. 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -3- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

10.  PARTIES REDACTED; CRIMINAL CASE, April 3rd, 2003, before Judge Homer Stark.  Client charged with statutory rape.  Pled client guilty for a sentence of twenty (20) years, seven (7) years to serve, $1000 fine, and sex offender treatment.  This is a settlement.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -3- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -4-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

11.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, May 12 , 2003, before Judge Dawson Jackson.  This is a divorce case that we settled fairly to both Parties.  This is a settlement. 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -3- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -5-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

12.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, May 14, 2003, Lowens County Superior Court before Judge Stanley Smith. Opposing Attorney Leon Green.  Contested divorce/Custody emergency hearing.  Hearing settled this with primary physical custody to the wife, Mr. Green’s client.  Secondary physical custody to my client, with good visitation for him.  Every other week visitation, and every night during the week when he doesn’t have weekend visitation.  We saved a lot of time, saved a lot of attorney’s fees, saved a lot of people from being hurt terribly.  That was a good settlement, but I would not call it a settlement with high leverage, because we didn’t get everything we wanted.   

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -3- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   


   Settled                                                                                                                                 -6-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

    Draw                                                                                                                                                           -0-

 

13. PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, May 19, 2003, Tift County Superior Court.  Deposition set for husband and wife.  Negotiated 9.5 hours.  Received from wife an agreement promising her approximately $490,000.00 in child support.  This is a settlement with high leverage.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -6-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

14. PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, May 20, 2003, Cobb County Juvenile Court.  Negotiated the case.  Basically, four months of drug tests and the case will be dismissed.  Real good result.  I am going to call this a settlement.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -3-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -7-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

15.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, Douglas County Juvenile Court, June 11th, 2003, representing Andy Levandowski.  Andy was rewarded visitation.  The parties are asked to go to marital counseling.  I informed the Court that we had a licensed physicians certificate enabling the parties to marry.  We cleared up the problem with the supposed foster mother.  We got everything we wanted, and could get it.  This is a win.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -4-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -7-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

 

 

16.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE divorce case, before the ADR Center of the Fulton County Superior Court Division on June 16th, 2003.  We settled the case with the Wife keeping her 401K plan with approximately $40,000.00 in it, in order to prevent the Husband from getting one half of that we gave the Husband all right and title to the marital home, which had an equity of approximately $17,000.00 left in it after the last refinancing, less real estate commission.  The Husband has just gotten over prostate surgery, has diabetes and is an alcoholic.  To continue to try the case will cost about $10,000.00, and the Wife owed us about $2,600.00.  The Husband was showing only about $11,000.00 income in his self-proprietorship where the Wife is earning $24,000.00, so our outlook did not look good.  Wife got the Mercedes, and Husband got the three trucks. This is a decent settlement, it was just time to close it down. 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -4-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

17.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, Judge Brenda Marks.  Motion by Hartford for collateral securities, such as the mortgage of the ***’s, and all their savings accounts, and all their valuables.  This motion was denied by the Court, and it was a significant victory.  This is a win.

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -5-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

18. PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, Juvenile Court of Douglas County before Judge Peggy Walker 8:30 a.m. July 27, 2003.  This was a final adjudication on placement.  I was representing the biological father and his mother. The biological mother and the child are fine.  The biological mother, who is 15, is being placed with her sister, and the minor child, the foster parents are very kind and giving.  The dad said that the baby looked like he was extremely well cared for.  The dad said that he wanted to marry the two parents when they had gained enough maturity.  I understand the responsibilities of marriage, this went as well as it could possibly go, and I think it was a win for everybody.  This is a win.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -6-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

19. PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, Bibb County Probate Court, Judge William Self II presiding.  Here I called the court after leaving Douglas County, and told them I would be there in two hours.  The judge gave the choice that I could either come down there, and they could wait for me, or he could go ahead, if I agreed, and he said that he was going to grant the extention of time of 90 days to try to get the exact figures from the money missing from the estate.  I think that is a good idea, and I understood he was going to really chew out the former guardian, which is I also think is a good idea.  We will not count this as a win or loss.  It was good result.  It was a win for Hartford, but at this point my client, **** and Hartford have a unity of interest.  Count it neither a win or loss.  It was a positive result.  Just what we wanted.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -6-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

20.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, August 18, 2003 before Judge Sumner, Cherokee County Superior Court.  This was a custody modification, and a DFACS action against my client for beating the child with a belt.  We won.  This is a win.           

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -7-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

21.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE before Judge Westmoreland, Fulton County Superior Court Family Division, on August 20th, 2003, 30-Day and 60-Day hearing.  We received seven day a week telephone visitation at specific times.  We received all of Respondents telephone numbers.  Petitioner had not been getting telephone visitation.  *** had not been getting visitation recently, received every other weekend from Friday at 6:00 p.m. to Sunday at 8:00 p.m., visitation with the minor child.  A Guardian Ad Litem appointed.  *** to maintain keeping the child on his insurance.  Mother and Father to split uncovered insurance.  *** to pay approximately $1,000.00 per month.  This is a qualified win.

 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

 

22.  PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, October 14, 2003 before Judge Michael Clark, Gwinnett County Superior Court.  Divorce bench trial. Represented the husband.  His Wife stated prior to trial and negotiations that she would not sign the $69,000 second mortgage due to secured debt.  She wanted the house subject to the first mortgage of $134,000, and wanted the Husband to pay $17,000 child support, $450 alimony, and also pay the $69,000 second mortgage, plus take all the debts, and pay her attorney’s fees.  Husband and Wife agreed that husband would be secondary physical custodian of the children, while Wife would be primary physical custodian.  Husband’s Financial Affidavit shows $302,000 in debts, including the first and second mortgages.  Husband voluntarily assumed paying certain debts he said were his.  The parties had agreed to $1,700 per month child support at the Temporary Hearing, and the husband to pay the children’s medical expenses.  Wife repeatedly denied at trial, threatening to kill Husband in August, 2003.  I smilingly produced a tape, and later played it.  It was her voice saying, “You low down, rotten, son of a gun, I am going to kill your F/Ass!”  Wife denied having an affair in 1988, under oath.  It was again impeached by Husband’s testimony that she confessed it to him two years ago, and that by his sister’s testimony that she admitted it in 1988 at the Cobb General Hospital in the rest room.  It was a very believable testimony.  I impeached Wife’s testimony again and again.  The judge gave Wife the house valued at $185,000, subject to the first mortgage of $134,000, and the second mortgage of $69,000, and ordered that Wife pay those mortgages.  The Court ordered Husband to pay something like $1,654 per month on a per child basis. Slightly lower than the $1,700.  Court ordered wife to pay $135,000 mortgage, and the $69,000 which is $204,000 plus her personal debt, which were about $1,500, and ordered the Husband to pay approximately $109,000 in debt.  The Court gave Wife alimony of $350 per month for 54 months.  Somewhat compensating her for being put in a bad situation, since the last payment on the second mortgage was in May, 2003.  As between the parties, the Wife had $225,000 in debt to pay, and Husband possibly, $109,000 or so.  Husband was earning $69,000, Wife was earning $24,000, according to her July 14, 2003 Financial Affidavit.  Her October 14, 2003 said only $12,000 per year, but we were able to make light of that.  Neither party received any attorney’s fees.  Wife was shown to be a liar and a perjurer, but the Court was basically blocked from putting her in jail, for intended Court perjury, because the children needed her. It was a pretty good win.  I was happy.  The client was happy.  We took over this case from another attorney. 

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -9-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw                                                                                                                                                            -0-

23. PARTIES REDACTED; CIVIL CASE, October 28, 2003 Before Judge Bloom, Courtroom I, Cobb Magistrate Court, Domestic Violence. Extended Temporary Protective Order for 12 months.  Custody to our client. $200.00 to our client, pending the Temporary hearing in the case.  Every other weekend visitation to the other party to be exchanged at the county jail.  The wife gets to stay in the marital home, and the husband cannot come within 500 yards of wife or child.  This was a win.

 

   Won                                                                                                                                                 -10-

   Settled with high leverage                                                                                                 -4- 

   Lost                                                                                                                                                  -0-   

   Settled                                                                                                                                 -8-

   Non dispositive motion or hearing                                               -0-

   Unavoidable loss, but protected Client's interests                     -0-

   Draw