Results
Criminal Law Successes
Our client, Andrew, was charged with five (5) Assault Bodily Injury cases. They were all Class A misdemeanors, carrying a punishment of up to a $4,000.00 fine plus up to one year in jail. After carefully and aggressively defending his freedom, we convinced the District Attorney’s Office to dismiss four (4) of the five (5) Assault charges and offer him a Deferred Class C misdemeanor Assault for the last case, which carries a punishment of up to a $500.00 fine and no jail time. Since this Class C was a deferred adjudication offer, Andrew did not receive a conviction and was able to put this behind him without it affecting his life or employment any further. He will now be able to file a Petition for Expunction to remove all these charges and arrests from his record.
Our client, Phillip, was charged with a First (1st) degree felony drug possession, which carried a possible punishment of a minimum of five (5) years to life in prison. The odds were against him since he was on parole after having served several years prison time for the same offense. While the case was pending, Phillip was trying to change his life and was gainfully employed. He was in a committed relationship trying to raise his child. The attorneys at Vela & Del Fierro defended Phillip aggressively and whole-heartedly. Phillip was not sentenced to prison. He received Deferred Adjudication probation. Phillip was able to keep his freedom, continue working and raise his child. He was able to seal his record as to this particular charge.
Family Law Successes
Michelle hired the attorneys at Vela & Del Fierro to Modify the Visitation Rights given to the father of her child. During the child’s life, the father had never been around or involved. He was threatening that he was going to exercise his visitation rights and then fight for custody of the child. The attorneys at Vela & Del Fierro, did not only modify the visitation, but were also able to terminate his parental rights and forever terminate any contact with this child. Michelle will no longer have to live in fear of losing her child.
Joann was raising her child alone because the father refused to pay the court-ordered child support. He fell behind thousands of dollars. She hired the attorneys at Vela & Del Fierro to file a Motion for Enforcement. At the hearing, he was lying to the judge stating he was not employed and when he worked he was not earning enough. Our aggressive approach and cross-examination, convinced the judge that he was intentionally under-employed and lying about his earnings. The judge sentenced him to six (6) months in the county jail and could only be released after posting a bond for several thousand dollars that would be applied towards the child support arrears. Joann received several thousand dollars instantly which alleviated her financial stress and assisted her in raising her child.
To protect our clients’ right to privacy, these are not their actual names.