Notes from practice · D.C. Superior Court
Not guilty in unlawful entry case
According to the police report, our client was hanging out by one of the gas pumps when police pulled in. The body worn cameras proved...
Client acquitted of destruction of property
The evidence suggested that our client intended to exit the store, not damage property. There was also a question as to who actually broke the...
Unlawful entry: Barring notice must be valid
In unlawful entry cases in which the defendant is charged with violating a DCHA barring order, the underlying order must be authorized by D.C. statute....
Unlawful Entry in Rahman v. United States
The court found in Rahman v. U.S. that remaining in a restaurant for 10 minutes after being asked to leave was sufficient to be found...
Prostitution arrests rise in D.C.
There is good news for D.C. criminal defense lawyers: Prostitution-related arrests can be expected to rise in the coming months....
Analyzing D.C.’s “Revenge Porn” Statute
In enacting the statute to criminalize the behavior commonly known as “revenge porn,” the D.C. City Council created “three separate offenses aimed at capturing the...
Mitchell v. U.S.: Cruelty to Children is a General Intent Offense
In Pennsylvania, the offense is known as endangering the welfare of a child. In D.C., it is cruelty to children and, as the D.C. Court...
In Re S.W.: Context is Critical When Proving Criminal Threat
I have never been a fan of D.C.’s “threats to do bodily harm” statute. For one thing, it criminalizes behavior that is already covered under...
Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle: Applying the Notion of a “Grace Period”
Jamison Koehler
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02/25/2012
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The judge doesn’t like my idea of a “grace period.” In fact, he chuckles when I propose it: “I have never seen any case...
How Criminal Charges Can Jeopardize a Security Clearance
Of all the collateral consequences of a criminal arrest or conviction, one of the issues of greatest concern in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area could...
English v. United States: Aiding and Abetting Flight in a Motor Vehicle
Although you can be found guilty of aiding and abetting flight in a motor vehicle, there was insufficient evidence in this case to sustain the...
On Challenging a Prostitution/Sexual Solicitation Case in D.C.
A couple of years ago, I was representing a client on a prostitution solicitation charge in Philadelphia. I had worked out a deferred prosecution agreement...
Rakofsky Dismissed in D.C. Murder Trial
I have always been somewhat suspicious of reports in the criminal law blogosphere about lawyers who misrepresent their credentials or who otherwise fail to meet...
Erik Prince Meet Susan Burke
My wife Susan Burke heads to the United Arab Emirates this weekend to depose Blackwater Founder Erik Prince as part of one of her...
Disorderly Conduct: D.C. Court Narrows The Scope
Jamison Koehler
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06/13/2010
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Disorderly conduct is a really annoying charge. The first problem is that the offense is usually so broad and poorly defined that it is...