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David Sleigh

Criminal defense Attorney at Saint Johnsbury, VT

5.0   1 review
  • State Years
    Vermont - VT 40 years
    Minnesota - MN 37 years
  • Licensed for 40 years
    State VT
    Acquired 1983
    Status
    Active No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 37 years
    State MN
    Acquired 1986
    Status
    Not Authorized No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About David

Learn David’s areas of practice.

4
Practice areas
  1. Criminal defense
    40%
    We defend any and all criminal cases in State and Federal Courts: Sex cases, DWI, Assault, Embezzlement.

    40 years, 1,000 cases

  2. Constitutional
    20%
    We specialize in suits seeking recovery for victims of excessive force, illegal search and seizure, false imprisonment and jail/prison mistreatment.

    40 years, 250 cases

  3. DUI and DWI
    20%
    Having your license suspended is just the beginning of the consequences that can result from a DUI or DWI conviction. These are highly specialized areas of the law that require experience and expertise to obtain a successful outcome.

  4. Personal injury
    20%
    We have recovered millions for individuals hurt by others in auto accidents, workplace injuries and professional negligence.

    40 years, 250 cases

David began practicing in the NEK as a Public Defender in August, 1983. He opened the firm, now known as Sleigh Law, in 1991. Over the last 38 years, he’s tried hundreds of jury cases, civil and criminal, in the Courts of several States and Federal Districts. Those trials include numerous acquittals in cases involving homicide, sexual assault, domestic assault and DWI. Notably, his DWI advocacy has forced the State to gain accreditation for its Blood/Breath alcohol program, revealed faulty scientific practices of the Lab, and compelled the Lab to change the way it expresses breath alcohol concentration in a way more favorable to the accused. His successes at the Vermont Supreme Court have included rulings that expanded an accused’s rights against self-incrimination, unlawful search and unreasonable seizure beyond criminal cases to include civil cases. Recently, he persuaded the Court to recognize a private right of action for patients to sue health providers for breach of , he and his friend and former college baseball teammate, Peter Coladacci, helped create a right of action for prisoners to sue prison doctors for medical malpractice.


For over 10 years, he and Robert Gensburg, advocated for Guantanamo Bay detainee, Abdul Zahir, finally pressuring the United States to admit that imprisonment of Mr. Zahir was unjustified and predicated upon mistaken identity. The common thread connecting all these cases is David’s commitment to the rights and dignity of individuals against the unjust actions of the powerful.

Contact David

David Sleigh
364 Railroad St Ste E
Saint Johnsbury, VT, 05819

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  1 customer review
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
0%
Posted by anonymous | December 29, 2012
Great result
I blew high numbers but could not get a DWI or I would lose my CDL and my job. Mr. Sleigh saved my license and my job.

Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 60 minutes
  • Contingency 33%-40%
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.5 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Lawyer
  • SleighLaw, PC
  • 1983 - Present
  • Adjunct Professor
  • Lyndon State College
  • 2010 - 2015

Education

  • Indiana University
  • Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety
  • 2004
  • Vermont Law School
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1982
  • Macalester College
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1977

Legal Cases

  • Vermont v. Colby
  • Judgment for Defendants
  • Vermont v. Bonvie
  • VSC held officer's refusal to allow Defendant to take test was unreasonable & struck refusal finding.
  • Vermont v. Gilman
  • VSC ruled refusal finding was unlawful.
View all legal cases

Associations

  • National College of DUI Defense
  • Member
  • 2001 - Present
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Member
  • 1984 - Present
  • American Bar Association
  • Member
  • 1981 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Distinguished
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2023
  • Distinguished
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2022
  • Distinguished
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2021
  • Distinguished
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2020
  • Distinguished
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2019
  • Peer Review Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2018
  • Super Lawyer
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2016
  • Super Lawyer
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2015
View all awards

Publications

  • DWI Journal: Law & Science
  • Alveolar Air - Forensic Scientists Have it Wrong
  • 2004

Speaking Engagements

  • Guantanamo & The Constitution
  • Guantanamo Detainees
  • 2013
  • Green Mountain Criminal Defense Institute
  • Challenging DRE Evidence
  • 2010
  • Annual Convention
  • Crime Scene Investigation
  • 2006
  • The Complete Appellate Lawyer
  • Appellate Practice Before the VT Supreme Court
  • 2006
  • Green Mountain Criminal Defense Institute
  • Alcohol Pharmacokenetics
  • 2004
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (2)
Given (1)
Endorse David
Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"David is a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney."
Personal injury Attorney | Apr 21
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"David is a superb lawyer and an equally fine person. He is an intense and aggressive advocate for his clients because he cares about them. I say this as someone who has opposed David on multiple occasions. He is always prepared and thoroughly ethical. One of the good guys."
Criminal defense

Avvo Contributions

This attorney hasn't created any legal answers in Q&A or legal guides recently on Avvo.

Saint Johnsbury Criminal defense Lawyer David Sleigh
David Sleigh
Criminal defense Attorney
Saint Johnsbury, VT
Licensed for 40 years
Free Consultation