On November 18, 2018, AG, a 61 year old man from Lawrence, was driving a vehicle he had recently purchased. He had attached plates to the vehicle that were assigned to another vehicle that he owned. He had not registered or insured the new vehicle. As luck would have it he went through a red light directly in view of a police car and got pulled over. AG got charged with Failing to Stop for a Red Light, Attaching Plates to conceal the identity of a motor vehicle, Operating an Uninsured Vehicle, and Operating an Unregistered Vehicle. The big problem for AG is that he is a convicted sex-offender and he is on Probation. On April 13, 2006 he was convicted of two counts of Indecent Assault & Battery on a child and Indecent Exposure. He served three years in jail and is on supervised probation until April 2019.
AG received a court summons from Lawrence District Court for an arraignment on the new charges. The arraignment was scheduled for January 25, 2019. On January 7, 2019 AG consulted with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. On January 8, 2019 Attorney Lewin went over to Lawrence District Court and obtained copies of all the court papers. Attorney Lewin then went to the District Attorney’s Office and met with an Assistant District Attorney to see if the DA’s Office would be willing to dismiss the new criminal motor vehicle charges. Attorney Lewin explained that a conviction could cause AG’s Probation to be revoked and he could be sent back to prison after being clean for 13 years. Attorney Lewin also explained that on the day after being stopped by the police AG immediately got the new car insured and registered. The DA agreed to dismiss the new charges upon the payment of $400 in Court costs. Attorney Lewin then went and spoke to AG’s Probation Officer and he agreed that he would not press for any action on the probation.
On January 9, 2019 (before anyone could or would change their mind) Attorney Lewin brought AG to the Court and had the arraignment moved up from January 25 to January 9. On January 9, 2019 AG and Attorney Lewin appeared before the Judge in Lawrence District Court and at the joint request of Attorney Lewin and the District Attorney the Judge ordered the charges DISMISSED upon the payment of $400 in Court costs. AG paid the $400 immediately and the charges were dismissed. The probation officer was satisfied and did not issue a notice of alleged probation violation. AG’s probation is due to end on April 12, 2019.
In criminal law practice communication is so important. Attorney Lewin immediately reached out and met with the District Attorney and the Probation Officer and through good communication skills was able to get the DA to agree to dismiss the case and was able to get the Probation Officer to not violate the client.
As AG and Attorney Lewin left the courthouse on January 9, 2019 AG breathed a huge sigh of relief and thanked Attorney Lewin.