FEATURING: Prosecutor Andrew Chacko, Defense Attorney Brent Wasserstein, Defense Attorney Chip Lewis, Defense Attorney Crystal Wiley, Defense Attorney Dale Paschall, Defense Attorney Dionne Press, Defense Attorney Edward Okwueze, Defense Attorney Inger Chandler, Defense Attorney Joe Vinas, Defense Attorney Jorge Cantu, Defense Attorney Jules Laird, Defense Attorney Kimberly McTorry, Defense Attorney Marcos Adrogue, Prosecutor Mario Cicconetti, Defense Attorney Nathaniel Pitoniak, Defense Attorney Omar Saman, Defense Attorney Paria Rafiee, Defense Attorney Ricardo Gonzalez, Defense Attorney Robyn Brown, Prosecutor Rusty Foroutan, Defense Attorney Samuel Cammack, III, Defense Attorney Scott Ramsey
CAPITAL MURDER – 1434395 – 351st – Prosecutors Samantha Knecht, Lauren Bard and Kaylynn Williford; Defense Attorneys Doug Durham, Ed Chernoff and Neal Davis III – (17th floor CJC) judge George Powell presiding – DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY – PUNISHMENT of LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE OR DEATH BEGINS SEPTEMBER 30th – ABC13NEWS
INTOXICATION MANSLAUGHTER – 1544687 – 176th – Prosecutor Brittney Symons and Cameron Mears, Defense Attorney Erik Smith and Sean Evans (9th floor Civil) judge Nikita Harmon presiding
CAPITAL MURDER – 1494344 – 338th – Prosecutors Keaton Forcht and Will Cowardin; Defense Attorneys Cary Higginbotham and Alvin Nunnery (17th floor CJC) judge Ramona Franklin presiding ABC13NOW
MURDER – 1503254 – 179th – Prosecutors Allen Otto and Brett Batchelor; Public Defenders Gemayel Haynes and Betsy Stukes Martinez (11th floor Civil) judge Randy Roll presiding CLICK2HOUSTON
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Samuel Cammack, III for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client in Cause Number 1513664 out of the 208th Criminal District Court for the offense of Sexual Assault (presiding judge Greg Glass)
Good job Samuel!
Congratulations to Prosecutor Mario Cicconetti for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas in Cause Number 1562199 out of the 177th Criminal District Court for the offense of Online Solicitation of a Minor – Sentence: 10 Years Probation (presiding judge Robert Johnson)
Good job Mario!
Congratulations to Prosecutor Andrew Chacko for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas in Cause Number 2210616 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 9 for the offense of DWI – Sentence: 1 Year Probation (presiding judge Toria Finch) co-counsel Rusty Foroutan
Good job Andrew!
Congratulations to Prosecutor Rusty Foroutan for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas in Cause Number 2210616 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 9 for the offense of DWI – Sentence: 1 Year Probation (presiding judge Toria Finch) co-counsel Andrew Chacko
Good job Rusty!
The following cases are felony – including RIC (links and PC issues) – and all trial setting dismissals derived from the Harris County District Clerk’s website – dockets tab. I examine each dismissal form before posting, post only those defendants who are free of charges (exceptions apply) and for which I have an attorney photo. These and non-photo cases are entered into the Defense Attorney spreadsheet published on Saturdays. Felony and misdemeanor dismissals are published in the spreadsheets below
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Ricardo Gonzalez for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1617234 out of the 179th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault
Nice work Ricardo!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Omar Saman for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1601813 out of the 182nd Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member
Nice work Omar!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Dionne Press for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1634767 out of the 183rd Criminal District Court for the offense of Delivery of a Controlled Substance
Nice work Dionne!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Dionne Press for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1619589 out of the 337th Criminal District Court for the offense of Continuous Violence Against the Family
Nice work Dionne!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Jules Laird for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1638806 out of the 184th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member
Nice work Jules!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Crystal Wiley for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1619630 out of the 339th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault
Nice work Crystal!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Kimberly McTorry for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1604939 out of the 176th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member
Nice work Kimberly!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Edward Okwueze for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1614307 out of the 177th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member
Nice work Edward!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Dale Paschall for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1566079 out of the 228th Criminal District Court for the offense of Injury to a Child
Nice work Dale!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Robyn Brown for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1585125 out of the 230th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Robbery
Nice work Robyn!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Inger Chandler for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1616499 out of the 248th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault Family Member
Nice work Inger!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Joe Vinas for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1583624 out of the 263rd Criminal District Court for the offense of Injury to the Disabled
Nice work Joe!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Chip Lewis for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1595233 out of the 263rd Criminal District Court for the offense of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Nice work Chip!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Nathaniel Pitoniak for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1627353 out of the 179th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member
Nice work Nathaniel!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Paria Rafiee for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1590304 out of the 338th Criminal District Court for the offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance
Nice work Paria!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brent Wasserstein for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1597106 out of the 174th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault
Nice work Brent!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Jorge Cantu for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1614457 out of the 337th Criminal District Court for the offense of Harassment of a Public Servant
Nice work Jorge!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Scott Ramsey for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1580218 out of the 337th Criminal District Court for the offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance
Nice work Scott!
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Marcos Adrogue for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1627696 out of the 338th Criminal District Court for the offense of DWI 3rd
Nice work Marcos!
Number of trials performed by each judge from January 1, 2019 – October 4, 2019 (Includes verdicts, in-trial pleas, in-trial dismissals and hung juries. Trial = jury picked) Source: My personal observations of trials in the courthouse and use of the District Clerk’s website online services
The number of FAVORABLE VERDICTS by the Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys through October 4, 2019
ALL VERDICTS from February 1, 2017 – October 4, 2019 (for personal use ONLY)
January 1, 2018 – October 4, 2019
A Compilation of Not Guilty Verdicts, Mid-Trial Dismissals, Trial-Setting Dismissals and *Special Felony Dismissals (exceptions apply) -For personal use ONLY
(Source: Harris County District Clerk’s Online Services – CrimDisposMonthly spreadsheet – eliminated dismissals when convicted of another charge or case refiled. Does not include attorneys whose names do not appear as attorney of record on clerk’s spreadsheet)
POINTER:
Before you plead a case make sure you have seen the lab report…Often times the results are either negative or for a lesser amount than was charged…Today in Ex parte Thompson, No. WR-89,601-01, the crim apps (with dissents) handed down an unpublished opinion on the dangers of pleading a client before you have the lab report in hand.
POINTER:
Attorney represents client charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. As a condition of bond, he cannot live at home because his children (one of which is the complainant) live there. He learns that his wife is disparaging him and his reputation, and he wants to retaliate.
Client sends a letter to Attorney. The envelope contains photos of his wife having sex with their 4 year old son (not the complainant). Client believes that the photos will mitigate his punishment if his wife is prosecuted, too.
What does the Attorney do with the photos? What ethical obligation does he have to turn the photos over to the authorities? Should a CPS referral be made, and can it be done anonymously?
Yes, the attorney must contact law enforcement and tender the photos to them. The lawyer is in possession of child pornography and evidence of a serious crime against a child. See Tex. Fam. Code section 261.101.
The Court Reporter has one of the most difficult jobs in the courthouse. Imagine having to listen to EVERY single word in a trial and transcribing it! My hats-off to you! I will try to feature a court reporter each week and offer their tips on how we can make their job a little easier
Rachel Cochran has been a court reporter since 2013. She spent 5 years as the court reporter for the 313th juvenile court before becoming the court reporter in January for County Criminal Court at Law Number 4 – judge Shannon Baldwin presiding.
COURT REPORTER TIP –
“My day would go a lot smoother if…..”
Lawyers would remember that we have a microphone attached at the bench in order to hear your bench conversations. Please be careful when passing papers or other items to the judge! If those papers or items HITS the microphone the amplified sound hurts our ears. Thank you!
PRIOR FEATURED COURT REPORTERS AND THEIR TIPS – CLICK HERE
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Israel Santana and to your family on your daughter Jordan Santana‘s success in qualifying for the NEW Olympic sport of skateboarding! Best of luck in the trials and we hope to see you in the games representing the United States of America!
Note: All spreadsheets, standings, charts, graphs, compilations are NOT 100% accurate and should not be relied upon as authoritative information.
*Special Felonies – Excludes certain felony dismissals – see “The Making of this Blog – What Goes into It” for the exceptions