648 Client Reviews
Showing 116 - 120 of 173 reviews | Cost of Services
Posted by Thomas | July 10, 2015
REVIEW
I contacted Mr.Palumbo for advice on getting my license back after I was denied by the dmv for restoration. Every lawyer I spoke to said there was nothing I could do. When I spoke to Michael he said I should pay him $500 so he could "look at my records" and he has helped many people in my same seneci...
We were hired us for what a lot of hire us for - reviewing the denial of relicensing after more than 2 lifetime DWI convictions. In other words, this client had at least 3 lifetime DWI convictions. NY is the toughest state to get your driving privileges restored after at least 2 DWI convictions. There is a confusing and complex matrix of rules that apply, and what if anything someone can do to obtain driving privileges turns on the specifics of their lifetime driving history, the content of the DMV denial letter, and their rational for denying relicensing. An overview of the new regulations can be found on my web site here: http://www.attackthatticket.com/relicensing_after_alcohol_conviction.html The simple fact of the matter is that before I can advise someone on what, if anything, they can do to restore NY privileges I must review their denial letter, review the regulations, and then intelligently interview them about particulars of their lifetime driving history. When this commenter alleges that I "should have know" certain things that is a lie because while the denial letter state convictions dates and points accrued, which are all relevant as to the severity of the relicensing hold, they do not detail which of the 1,400 courts of the State of New York they were convicted. I need to know this because sometimes the difference between a lifetime revocation and immediate restoration is going back to a court of conviction years earlier and commencing a special proceeding to vacate that conviction. Sometimes just removing one of several minor convictions is all it takes. Our office practices traffic ticket defense throughout NY, and as such we are familiar with all courts. Some will just reject the appeal, so I want to know the names of each court so that I, through my vast years of knowledge and experience, can advise my client to choose the best court to make such a request. This initial review of records, regulations, and client interview is the necessary first step required to advise the client not with guesses but with accuracy and certitude. The commenter is correct in that other lawyers simply say that there is nothing that can be done, but there is ALWAYS SOMETHING that can be done. I know because I do this for clients all the time. The question really is whether it is practical and cost effective to do, and of course clients always what to know what the chances of success are. None of these questions can be answered without taking the first step of this initial review and consultation, which I did in this case. My office has been successful for numerous clients in restoring their driving privileges or taking them from a permanently ineligible status to a 5 year hold status in which their driving privileges would be restored after 5 years. We have done this in several ways. In some cases courts reported 2 DWI convictions to the DMV when it should have only been one and on that correction privileges were restored. In others we identified an error of driving history with the DMV and upon that correction the client was eligible. In other cases we vacated old moving violation convictions and the client was eligible. There are also cases of which the driving record is so terrible that there is virtually no chance of success, and in others while there is a viable option the investment required is more than the client can afford. Whatever the case, the client hires us to review and interpret fact, regulation, and law, apply the facts to the law, and explain it to him in plain English and give him legal advice on what can be done going forward to meet his goals. That is what this client purchased, and that is what this client received. In his case there is something that can be done, but he chooses not to undertake. This is because he has a horrific driving history, so he made a cost / benefit decision that the required investment was not worth the low odds of success.
Posted by Eleni | June 10, 2015
I Didn't Win My Red Light Ticket in NYC
I was tail gating and accidentally blew a red light one night on my way home on a busy stop and go queens avenue. The very tall van I was tailgating blew a yellow light and I assumed it was yellow for me too until I got pulled over by the officer sitting at the cross section perpendicular to my light...
This client had unrealistic expectations of what a lawyer can and cannot do for them. The NYC traffic court has a no plea bargaining policy. Unless you fight the case you are found guilty 100% of the time. We tell this to every client. In this person's case she confesses here that she was driving dangerously and in addition to blowing the red light was also following another vehicle too closely. She complains but fails to point out that her following too close charge was dismissed. Another misleading statement is that she fails to point out that her case was adjourned TWICE before going to trial. After 2 adjournments we cannot get anymore without the approval of a DMV hearing officer. In this case had we not conducted the trial the court would have suspended her license until the next court date. Obviously taking the case to trial rather than getting her license suspended was the better course of action. We always point out to our clients that in the NYC traffic court clients are going to lose on occasion. This is not a reflection of the effectiveness of the law firm but just the nature of a bi-lateral fight - whenever 2 combatants go into a competition one has to lose. Indeed, we even state so much in our retainer agreement, which she and every client signs: "Please note that we do not guarantee a particular or even favorable result. In other words, we might be unsuccessful at negotiating a favorable plea bargain or obtaining a pre-trial dismissal and we might thereafter lose at trial. You might be found guilty of the charge or charges you are currently facing despite our best efforts." We cannot be clearer in how we explain the service when you retain us for a NYC traffic ticket. Furthermore, whereas here the client confesses that they were engaged in several vehicle and traffic violations and driving dangerously the odds of prevailing upon a clean sweep diminish greatly. In addition, we are careful to advertise on both of our web sites exactly what goes on in the NYC traffic court and the particular challenges motorists face there. You can check them out yourself: http://www.attackthatticket.com/new-york-city-tickets.html, http://www.mpalumbolaw.com/new-york-city-ticket-defense.html. The client also complains that she did not receive notice of her conviction until after her time to appeal had expired. This is an out and out lie. We keep meticulous records here. We took this client's case to trial on 9/11/14. On 9/12/14 we e-mailed the results and payment instruction to the client at the e-mail address she had provided, and we also regular mailed it to her at her address which she had also provided and which was consistent with that of which was on record with the NYS DMV. At no time did we get a message that her e-mail was undeliverable, nor did the letter we mail get returned to us. In the closing e-mail we told her specifically what she was convicted of, how to pay and sent her a link to click on so she could pay it online, provided her with the deadline date for payment, provided her with a link to take an online course to have the points scrubbed from her record, and provided her with information about possible other fines levied by the DMV, what to look out for, and a link to pay if she was subject to more fines. She claims here that she did not receive any closing documents, however she admitted to me on the phone that she did receive it but that her life is so busy that she had not checked her regular mail or e-mail until early November. How is this possibly the fault of our office? Does she realistically believe that we should know the social calendars of our clients? What does this tell you about the character and credibility of the person making the complaint? We did everything we were supposed to do and gave her great service. She certainly received the benefit of her bargain and has no right to complain.
Posted by anonymous | June 09, 2015
Orange County Ticket
I received a ticket in in a small town in Orange County NY. The town has a reputation has a speed trap, but my ticket was for a lane change without proper signaling. Not wanting the points on my record and not having the time to go to court, I arranged for representation from Michael Palumbo's fir...
Posted by Brian | May 19, 2015
Money well spent
I got pulled over in upstate NY doing 48 in a 35. Add on to that speeding ticket an expired license, and having no proof of insurance in the car (though I did have insurance coverage). Once I got my license renewed, I sent Mike all documentation about my tickets. After contacting his law firm, Mik...
Posted by Peter | May 05, 2015
A guaranteed performance this is.
Michael and his team made promises....and delivered! More than once! Both my tickets (tailgating and speeding) got converted to non-moving violations saving a bundle on - potential - insurance rate increases. My only observation is that these things take a long time. Until I knew this I kept pinging ...