The client was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic infraction. The officer said that my client had marijuana leaves on his lap and admitted that a bag of weed in the car was his. Jessica revealed that the officer did not document the incident properly in her reports, did not investigate before rushing to cite the client and did not have a very good memory of the incident. The jury believed the client when he said there was nothing on his lap and the bag was not his, but must have belonged to one of the other occupants of the vehicle.

An awful tragedy occurred in this case, when a sleeping 4 year old child was mistakenly left behind in a day care van. The child passed away. Jessica was initially assigned this case while working to defend the indigent for The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Reginal Counsel. The client was so happy with her representation, that she hired Jessica to continue as the attorney when she started her own practice. After years of investigation, depositions and negotiations, Jessica was able to secure a plea deal from the prosecutor with a guarantee of NO PRISON time.

http://www.local10.com/news/crime/former-day-care-owner-sentenced-to-5-years-in-prison-in-death-of-boy
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2017/03/16/mother-angry-after-sentencing-of-women-responsible-for-her-childs-death/
http://wsvn.com/news/local/plea-deal-accepted-in-fatal-case-of-4-year-old-left-in-suv/

The client came to Jessica because he was falsely arrested by police, after they stopped his vehicle, searched him, damaged his property and mistreated him. Jessica quickly provided evidence to the State Attorney, including photos, that the Detective had seriously violated the client’s rights. The State declined to file the charges.

https://www.local10.com/news/local-10-investigates/south-florida-man-alleges-undercover-detective-assaulted-him-during-traffic-stop/

The client was on probation in two counties and violated with both new arrests and technical violations. After negotiating a Reinstatement to Probation in Broward County, Jessica traveled to Lee County in an effort to achieve the same. In spite of compelling arguments, the State Attorney is Lee County would not agree to a reinstatement. Jessica fought the allegations at a Final Hearing and the result was a Reinstatement to Probation.

The Economic Crimes Unit at the State Attorney’s Office was adamant that this client should serve 5 years in prison for this charge, because he had a significant prior criminal record. The case was about a year old when the client hired Jessica. Jessica provided all of the documentation to the State to show that they could not prove their case, that the client ran a legitimate business, and that the case belonged in civil court. However, the State persisted in seeking prison. Jessica called their bluff by pushing the case to trial. Before the trial, the State dismissed the charges in return for payment of Restitution.

The client was accused of hitting her husband with a hot iron and a glass bottle. The photos of the injuries to the head of the alleged victim were gruesome. The client had never been in trouble before and was just months away from becoming a Registered Nurse. Jessica’s investigation revealed that the alleged victim was intoxicated at the time of the events and could not remember what happened clearly, moreover, he believed that the client’s actions may have been an accident. The State declined the charges.

Update: The client graduated nursing school in May of 2018 with honors. Her father messaged this to Jessica on her graduation day “I will be forever grateful for I consider you my angel. We cannot thank you enough for you saved my daughter’s life.”