John J. Conlon | Portage Criminal Lawyer

• Michigan Bar Association

• President of the Law Student Body, University of Detroit School of Law
  1970-1971
• Invited to Join Law Journal Staff, Urban Law Journal, University of Detroit School of Detroit
  1970

People v Shaw was a 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct case(CSC I)in the St. Joseph County Circuit Court. I was able to have the entire case dismissed; all charges against my client, a former Police Officer, were dropped by the Michigan State Police. Criminal Sexual Conduct cases are extremely difficult because complaining witnesses always gets a huge amount of sympathy that needs to be artfully dealt with by the defense attorney. It was a false accusation case by a daughter against the husband of her mother. People v. Lux was a Shaken Baby Syndrome case in the Van Buren County Circuit Court, brought by the Michigan State Police against the wife of the county Under Sheriff. It was successfully tried to a jury, we were able to obtained the best possible experts and the jury returned a Not Guilty verdict. These are extremely difficult cases since all the sympathy is with the innocent, injured child. There are many difficult divorce and custody cases to mention here-----just received a called on one this morning (1/18/16) my returning client said ""I need you! My former spouse is at it again, dragging me back to court to try and get full custody. I need this to stop-------do again what you did before! Please, don't be afraid to bring out the shark teeth and finish it off, once and for always. Maybe getting beat badly, again, will end this nonsense.

I built my practice from scratch-----I moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan after a short stint as a staff attorney for Michigan Mutual Liability, an insurance company and then spending nearly 3 1/2 years as an Assistant Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney, handling mostly major felony jury trials. I tried approximately 75-90 major jury prosecutions, including homicides(Murder-Manslaughter), Armed and Unarmed Robbery, Criminal Sexual Conduct(Rape-Statutory Rape-Other Sexual Assault), Felonious Assaults, Embezzlement-Larceny by Trick and Conversion, Conspiracies and other crimes. I dedicate my efforts to the people I represent, irrespective of being an assistant prosecuting attorney or defense attorney representing those accused of having committed a crime.

The client needs to look for personal sincerity and a real interest in him/her as a client as well as in his/her cause. A great deal of jury trial experience, such as the nearly 200/250 jury trials is an important consideration along with the ability of the lawyer's ability to talk with and convince the jury on the the merits the client's defenses. Selecting an inexperienced attorney, based merely on price point, could cost the defendant/client a great deal more than the amount of money. It may well cost the defendant/client the loss of his/her personal freedom as well as his/her good name and reputation. The defendant/client needs to choose wisely or take a double or triple hit in the proscess.

Local knowledge has its importance and can be the winning edge when two attorneys look similar in skill and experience. Understanding the Judge assigned to the case is sometimes an edge as well as the difference between winning and losing the case.

In a telephone contact I give general information about my credentials, can direct the client/defendant to my website for extensive details on my trial and legal experience, talk generally about the type of case as well as tell the prospective client how I will generally handle the initial consultation, depending if the client/defendant is incarcerated or out on bail, as well as making arrangement for an initial consultation.

In a telephone discussion with the potential client I want to obtain enough information to allow me to determine if it is a case that I am legally familiarly with and make sure there is no apparent conflict of interest that would preclude me for handling the case for the potential client. Then I want to obtain some ideas about how the client will be able to pay for his/her representation. Arrangements can then be made for a full initial consultation, that generally be handled in office or during a jail visit. This is to protect and preserve all aspects of attorney client privilege and so that the full story can be told to the attorney without fear of the statements and comments of the defendant/client being revealed to the authorities. I want to get the full name of the client/defendant, the address of residence of the client/defendant, the telephone and/or cell phone numbers as well as an email address for the client/defendant or his/her contact person.

I am different from most other lawyers, in my community, based on my persistence and perseverance-------I do not stop at the first answer that I find. I look until satisfied that I have obtained the best possible information for the benefit of my client. It is, with me, a matter of personal attitude: ""the difficult is done right away; the impossible may take just a little longer!"" The many different aspects of my development, as a lawyer, are extremely important. They include the high number of felony jury trials I had as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, as well as the large number of jury trials that I have had while in the private practice of law for 40 years. I have been doing criminal defense work mainly throughout South West, Michigan, as well as having been admitted to try cases before the courts of other states i.e. Ohio, Texas, New York and Florida, as well as the Federal District Court for the Southern Division of Ohio. Along with the above related to trial experience, my background and training obtained at the Trial Lawyers College, DuBois, Wyoming, the Court Practice Institute, Chicago, Illinois, the ABA Advanced Trial Advocacy Program, Oxford, England and many, many other seminars at the National College of Criminal Defense, Houston, Texas as well as many seminars at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy across the United States.

The most rewarding aspect of practicing law is helping people effectively deal with significant problems, doing an excellent job for them and knowing that I stand for the high integrity and what I advise the client/defendant can rely on and use towards his/her benefit.

I am interested in athletics, ballroom dancing, sports, fitness, inventions and new concepts both legal and every day application that benefit mankind.

I have had many important voluntary positions within Kalamazoo County, including Chairperson of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, Chairperson of the Overall Economic Development Committee, Member of the Kalamazoo Department of Parks and Recreation Board, President of Portage Lions, President of the Portage Exchange Club and Member of the American Business Clubs (AMBUCS).