Date: December 2020
Case: Reckless Driving
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: Nicole’s client damaged her apartment complex garage after a driving incident, which landed her with a reckless driving charge. After negotiations with the prosecutor and the client’s proactive steps, Nicole was able to get the prosecutor to lessen the charge to careless driving and secure a stay of adjudication for her client. This means that her client was not convicted of any charge but was placed on unsupervised probation for one year. If she successfully completes probation, the amended careless driving charge will be dismissed. This resolution allowed Nicole’s client to keep a conviction off her record.
Date: December 2020
Case: Domestic Assault
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: Nicole’s client was charged with Domestic Assault after a disagreement with her granddaughter led to her granddaughter pressing charges against her two days later. Nicole and her team interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence which she sent to the prosecutor and the prosecutor agreed to dismiss the case..
Date: December 2020
Case: Probation Violation and Controlled Substance Crime
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: After being convicted of a felony aggravated robbery and sentenced to 20 years of probation with a 58-month prison sentence hanging over his head, Nicole’s client violated his probation and was found with drugs in his pocket at his probation violation hearing. On top of his risk of being sent to prison, he now faced a new drug charge, and another violation. However, based on numerous discussions and negotiations Nicole had with the prosecutor and probation officers about her client’s proactive steps in treatment, they finally reached a resolution. In this resolution, Nicole’s client was able to avoid prison and jail time, continue with his previous conditions of probation, and at completion of probation, the new drug charge will be dismissed.
Date: December 2020
Case: Pre-charge Representation – Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult
Attorney: Michael Brandt
Result: Mike was retained to represent a client before any criminal charges were actually brought. Mike represented this client while the client was under investigation for financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. Mike followed up with the investigators and county attorney’s office while representing the client during the investigation process. Ultimately, no charges were ever brought by the state, the statute of limitations ran, and Mike’s client was never charged nor convicted.
Date: December 2020
Case: Harassment Restraining Order (Response & Petition)
Attorney: Michael J. Brandt
Result: Mike Brandt represented a client to defend against a Harassment Restraining Order brought by Mike’s client’s neighbor. Mike started by going on the offensive and filed his own petition for a Harassment Restraining Order against the neighbor in Hennepin County. Mike conducted a thorough investigation in this case, obtained witness statements, video surveillance, photos, and police reports to support his client’s recollection of events. These preparations ultimately led the parties to each dismissing their respective restraining orders and agreeing to leave each other alone.
Date: December 2020
Case: DWI and Carrying a Pistol While Under the Influence of Alcohol
Attorney: Michael J. Brandt
Result: Mike’s client was charged with Fourth Degree DWI and Carrying a Pistol While Under the Influence. These charges stemmed from an incident occurring in Hennepin County in February of 2020. Based upon legal issues that Mike raised, Mike was able to negotiate a resolution where the DWI charge was dismissed and his client received a Stay of Adjudication on the pistol charge. This means that his client plead to the Carrying a Pistol charge but the judge did not convict the client of this. Mike’s client was placed on unsupervised probation for 1 year. When the client successfully completes probation, the remaining charge will also be dismissed. As part of the negotiations, the prosecutor agreed to the expungement of these records once Mike’s client is eligible.
Date: December 2020
Case: Harassment Restraining Order (HRO)
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: After a tenant of Nicole’s client petitioned for an HRO against him and he was served, Nicole’s client was faced with not being able to live in his own home. Even though the deadline to vacate or fight the HRO had passed, and the Court initially denied a hearing, Nicole approached the court again and the Court then granted her client a hearing. Nicole approached the Court again to modify the HRO address, and got her client back into his house before the hearing. Nicole then negotiated with the other party and reached a resolution that terminates the HRO in 6 months so long as there are no new violations and Nicole’s client can go back to living his normal life without it hanging over his head.
Date: November 2020
Case: Possess/Sale Small Amount of Marijuana
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: Nicole’s client was charged with a petty misdemeanor possession/sale of a small amount of marijuana after the friends he was with admitted to smoking a marijuana cigarette. Nicole’s client lost his job due to the incident. However, as Nicole’s client was the only person out of his friends who was cooperative with the police, Nicole was able to convince the prosecutor to dismiss the case in the interests of justice. Nicole’s client now maintains a clean record, is immediately eligible for expungement, and has hope of returning to this job.
Date: November 2020
Case: Obstruct Legal Process and Disorderly Conduct
Attorney: Nicole A. Kettwick
Result: After a night of drinking at a local restaurant, Nicole’s client got into arguments with the police as they were trying to find him a ride home. He was charged with gross misdemeanor obstructing legal process. Nicole and her client worked together to be proactive, including writing an apology letter, Nicole was able to negotiate with the prosecutor to dismiss the gross misdemeanor charge and stay the jail time for the misdemeanor in place of one year of probation. This resolution allowed Nicole’s client to move forward from this mistake while minimizing the impact the charges could have had on the rest of his life.
Date: November 2020
Case: Gross Misdemeanor DWI
Attorney: Michael J. Brandt
Result: Mike’s client was charged with Third Degree DWI in Sherburne County because of testing more than twice the legal limit. This type of charge often results in jail time in this county. However, Mike was successful in negotiating a reduced charge of Fourth Degree DWI. Mike’s client was sentenced to community work service and a small fine instead of serving any jail time.