Criminal

In 1991, I earned a Juris Doctorate Degree (law degree) from the University of Dayton School of Law. While attending law school, I received the American Jurisprudence Award from my Insurance Law professor for obtaining the highest grade in the class. I was licensed to practice law in Ohio that same year (1991) and immediately established a private law practice in downtown Dayton, Ohio across the street from the courts. I have been in the same office building for over 32 years! I also proudly served as a Magistrate in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court from 1992 until 2000 for The Honorable Judge George Gounaris. During my 32 year career, I have focused my law practice on Divorce, Criminal Defense, OVI/DUI Defense, Traffic Law and Personal Injury cases so that I could become proficient in these areas and provide the best possible legal services. I received the Appointed Counsel Award from the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court for my representation of indigent defendants, and the Top 10 Attorney Award (for Ohio) from the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys. I have been interviewed by local and national news media, including The Associated Press, and had the distinct privilege of arguing in the Supreme Court of Ohio. Some of my cases set legal precedent, which means they impacted the status of the law in Ohio. I was invited into the prestigious National Trial Lawyers, Top 100, and Ohio Super Lawyers which is only attainable by a small percentage of attorneys in Ohio. I am rated "Distinguished" by Martindale Hubbell, and "Superb" by Avvo.com which is the highest rating for attorneys. I am rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, and listed in Who's Who in American Law. I have earned the respect of my peers in the legal community, and have built long-lasting, professional relationships with judges, prosecutors, attorneys and other individuals that serve in our system of justice. My MISSION has always been, and will always be, to make sure my clients are treated fairly no matter their race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age or any other trait that sets them apart from others. I certainly have the experience and success that my clients need, and I am very happy to help them through difficult times.

Sheri D. Coover, Esquire, brings a wealth of experience to her legal practice, having transitioned from public service at the Cumberland County Courthouse to a career in law while raising four children. She earned degrees in Paralegal Studies, Public Policy, and law from Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State University, and the Dickinson School of Law, respectively. After initially concentrating on tax law, she developed a broad practice centered around family law, where she has represented clients across Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry, and York Counties. Ms. Coover has built a reputation for guiding clients through difficult legal matters, including guardianship involving incapacity, divorces involving significant marital property, and child welfare cases involving county agencies. Since 2017, she has served as a Custody Conciliator for Cumberland County, helping parents work toward agreements in the best interests of their children. In private practice, she continues to assist individuals seeking to assert custody rights or protect assets accumulated during marriage. In addition to her work in family law, she has handled criminal defense matters, Protection from Abuse cases, and administrative hearings related to findings of abuse or social services intervention. She has also successfully appealed numerous Social Security disability denials. Sheri lives in Central Pennsylvania with her pets and enjoys staying connected to her nearby children and grandchildren. Call 717-243-9190 or complete our contact form for your free consultation today.

Gerald S. Stanshine is a nationally recognized trial attorney who focuses on criminal defense, civil rights, and personal injury. He has successfully represented numerous clients in high profile matters. Mr. Stanshine is well known to clients, opposing counsel and judges for tenacious and skillful representation of his clients. He has been a guest faculty member with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and has testified before and counseled various Pennsylvania governmental agencies and commissions. He has also appeared on WPVI’s, (channel 6), Action News: Issues and Answers. For almost two decades, Mr. Stanshine was counsel, and then lead counsel to the Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia for police officers in Internal Affairs investigations and Disciplinary Hearings. He has been selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for six consecutive years; to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015; to the American Society of Legal Advocates as a Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer in Pa. for 2013, 2014, and 2015; named as one of the Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in Pennsylvania by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys; selected as a Member of the Nation’s Top One Percent by The National Association of Distinguished Counsel; selected to Philadelphia’s Top Rated Lawyers in 2013, 2014, and 2015; and has been consistently rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, (its highest rating), every year since 2000.

John J. Kahn, Jr. practices in the areas of Personal Injury and Criminal Law. As a personal injury lawyer, Mr. Kahn has handled a variety of personal injury cases including automobile/truck accidents, industrial/offshore/railroad accidents, daycare injury cases, wrongful death cases, toxic torts, prescription drug cases, products liability cases, birth injuries, and premises liability cases. As a criminal defense attorney in Pearland and the Houston area, Mr. Kahn deals with all Felonies and Misdemeanors for both adults and juveniles including DWI, drug crimes, sex crimes, assaults, thefts, burglary, and probation violations. Mr. Kahn graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans, LA and then attended South Texas College of Law where he graduated with his juris doctorate in 2001. That same year, he was admitted to practice law in Texas. Mr. Kahn is a member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, National College for DUI Defense, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and the Christian Trial Lawyers Association.

Only two lawyers in Southeast Texas are both Board Certified in Criminal Law and Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Texas; Ryan Gertz is one of them. Focused on defending serious state and federal criminal charges, Ryan routinely tries complex cases and has met with great success.

Leonard J. Foster accepts cases involving Personal Injury, Criminal Law, Business Law, & Native Peoples and is an active Lawyer practicing in Albuquerque New Mexico and throughout the state.

When defending against criminal charges, the outcome of the case is largely determined by the knowledge, determination, and focus of the defense attorney. The consequences of a misdemeanor or felony conviction can have a lifelong impact. It is essential to work with a law firm that is focused exclusively on the representation of individuals charged with a criminal offense. Attorneys Sean P. Spellman and Attorney Molly “Mary” K. Spellman are a brother-sister team who will provide an honest assessment of your case, fight aggressively in your defense, and will maintain an open line of communication in doing so. Sean Spellman and Molly Spellman of Spellman Law, P.C., have focused on criminal defense matters throughout their legal careers. They handle felony and misdemeanor level offenses in Central Iowa (including but not limited to Polk, Dallas, Story, Warren, Boone, Jasper and Madison Counties) and throughout the State of Iowa. This focus allows them to stay current on the changing criminal laws and to best serve their clients.

For over 30 years, Cynthia A. Stewart has been practicing law with the goal of helping clients across the community with their legal needs, particularly as they face serious criminal charges. We understand the toll that a criminal charge or personal injury can take — that’s why we offer aggressive representation to clients in Jackson and across Mississippi. During her career, attorney Stewart has earned a reputation as an aggressive, even fearless, courtroom attorney. She has personally been responsible for the dismissal or acquittal of charges of clients facing the most serious of criminal accusations, from cases involving murder, fraud (medicare and other), drug offenses and civil rights, among others in both state and federal jurisdictions. In personal injury cases, we strive to recover compensation for our clients. We know how devastating an injury can be. We also pride ourselves on representing those injured behind bars, fighting staunchly for the rights of the incarcerated. We take a no-nonsense approach to every case we take. We prioritize educating our clients and then defending their rights as staunchly as possible. A well-respected negotiator and trial attorney, Cynthia Stewart is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi. Attorney Stewart’s practice and success have been discussed in detail in The Feminine Sixth: Women for the Defense, a nonfiction account of female criminal defense lawyers by Andrea D. Lyon and in Kings Of Tort by Tom Dawson, an account of political and legal wranglings in Mississippi.

The Law Offices of Attorney Patricia (Pat) Cresta-Savage offers clients the advantage of an experienced attorney with over 20 years of advisory and courtroom litigation experience providing independent legal representation in civil actions, civil rights, and criminal defense. She is a licensed member of the bar in DC, MD and NH, and can represent clients in several different courts. In CRIMINAL DEFENSE, she has effectively represented those charged in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New Hampshire with many different types and degrees of crimes, including but not limited to serious offenses such as: felony murder, assault with intent to kill, armed robbery, carjacking, possession and/or distribution of controlled substances, felon in possession of firearms, embezzlement, credit card fraud, as well as lesser criminal charges of many kinds. In CIVIL RIGHTS, she has successfully represented clients in civil actions concerning police brutality, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, race discrimination, and employment law. She was co-counsel in a landmark Maryland decision concerning the unconstitutional retroactive application of sex offender registration law: Doe v. Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, 430 Md. 535, 62 A.3d 123 (2013)

Gregory B. Smith has gotten amazing results for people for twenty years. He's not only a highly skilled legal bulldog, but a compassionate person, too. He's a "lawyer's lawyer," too. He's put on seminars for other attorneys, and has personally trained about a dozen young criminal defense attorneys, so the legal community as a whole has greatly benefitted from his skill and knowledge. He has also authored and self-published various e-books, and written many articles. His legal insights have landed him on Good Morning America twice, and his editorials on sundry matters have been published in newspapers around the country. Most importantly, he can talk to you today. In fact, you can him now at 801-651-1512, his personal cell phone. Clients are constantly amazed that he answers all of his calls every day. His initial training was actually in prosecutor work about twenty years ago. Here is what his former boss, D. Davis, former lead prosecutor, said of him: [Greg Smith] assisted me in Court, with the prosecution work we did as City Attorneys for the City of Mission, Texas. The cases involved traffic violations, assaults, thefts. [He] also assisted in court appearances. [He] gained considerable experience in procedure and working with law enforcement officers, methods of presenting evidence, including direct and cross-examination of witnesses, and above all, comprehensive preparation of cases for trial." In other words, not only does Mr. Smith understand how to defend your or your loved one, he knows how prosecutors think, too. His clients love him because he's very down to earth, and more than willing to take their calls 24/7 - even on weekends. In fact, he often meets with his clients at restaurants, instead of at his law office, so that the client can relax, and talk freely. By doing this, Mr. Smith can really get to know them, and get a solid background on the case. However, he is happy to meet at his office, too. It is no wonder the law firm has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. He demands that all the lawyers that work at his office return communications promptly, and that they give all the law firm clients the best legal representation possible. He's respected by prosecutors and judges, too, because his style does not alienate them. Mr. Smith has always been a go-getter. In high school, he was class president and earned a college football scholarship because of his hard work, and ability to set high goals and achieve them - his college team even won the National Championship while Mr. Smith was serving as a missionary in Argentina. Football taught him a lot about life, and how to fight and win within the rules. However, due to many shoulder dislocations, he had to undergo surgery twice and abandon his dream to play in the NFL. Instead, he became an attorney. Now instead of sacking quarterbacks, and blocking for runners, he helps people get Justice in Utah! As previously stated, right out of law school in the early 1990s, Mr. Smith gained valuable insights while participating in the prosecution of many cases in Texas (acting under the direction of licensed and highly skilled attorneys, who had been around the block many, many times). However, Mr. Smith was often uncomfortable asking the judge to punish people for things that Mr. Smith felt were often simple errors in judgment. He also quickly learned that many accusers were not honest, or that they had blown things way out of proportion. So, he decided he could do more good helping those who were accused of crimes. Then, he moved back to Utah and took the Utah bar exam instead of the Texas one, so he never became licensed in the Lone Star State. However, the several months of comprehensive prosecutorial and courtroom experience that he gained there served as the springboard for what he's been able to accomplish in Utah over the past two decades. After all, participating in moot court in law school is one thing, and being a part-time intern in another; but, being continuously exposed to real live cases, and all aspects of them - for many months - is a totally different thing. There is just no substitute for the real thing. While in Texas, Mr. Smith also spent a lot of time in the District Court, so he could learn from those who prosecuted felonies. One day, a veteran prosecutor gave Mr. Smith this advice: Divorce yourself from what the accuser alleges, and instead, look at the facts. Don't believe the first thing you hear, and I am telling you now that that is a very hard thing to do! Remember, the person who is accused is presumed innocent, and accusers get no presumption. It is better for 1,000 guilty men to go free than for one innocent person to go to jail. And don't ever go after a person just because that is what the police are telling you to do. Your job is to do justice, and you don't work for the police department. That advice changed Mr. Smith's life. Too often, an accuser is a bitter, or even hateful ex-lover, a disgruntled ex-coworker, or just a busybody that wants to make somebody's life utter hell. Mr. Smith understands that those you once trusted can prove that they were never worthy of your trust at all. When it is convenient, they can suddenly lie, tell half-truths, and can even fabricate evidence. He also understands that even if a person is guilty, there is MUCH MORE to that person than the criminal charges, and that the person needs to get on with his or her life. As a defense attorney, it is highly beneficial to know how cases proceed from the prosecutorial side, and Mr. Smith learned that while serving in his prosecutorial role in South Texas. This starts with understanding how "victims" are interviewed and perceived when they bring a complaint. Mr. Smith knows that the deck can get stacked against a defendant very quickly. Why? Because police officers often get moved emotionally, and they don't want a disbelieve a "victim", and Mr. Smith witnessed that first hand.Mr. Smith understands how a clever person can bias even the most honest of police officers and prosecutors. He also knows how so-called victims can be perpetrators that are just trying to turn tables, or win a race to the police department. Because of his prosecutorial experience, he also understands how opening statements, cross examinations and closing arguments for court are prepared from the point of view of the prosecution, and how evidence is gathered and looked at by the police and the prosecution. Since then, Mr. Smith has helped literally thousands of people cope with the Utah legal system. Call him now at 801-651-1512. He's ready to help you get the BEST RESULT POSSIBLE.