Rick A. Buchwalter's Legal Cases (3)

Criminal defense

State of Florida vs. Clint Chapman

Mar 18, 2009

OUTCOME: Not Guilty, sexual battery; guilty, simple battery

Clinton Chapman was the owner/manager of an insurance office in Pasco County. He was accused by an office sales agent of raping her following a semi-annual event for the office and cocktails at the Bl ... ue Martini in Tampa. The jury found him not guilty of rape, but guilty of the lesser included offense of simple battery. Mr. Chapman faced 8-15 years in state prison for rape, but was sentenced to 9 months in county jail on the simple battery.

DUI and DWI

State v. Joseph Altamura

Mar 14, 1995

OUTCOME: Guilty of Vehicular Homicide

Served as lead prosecutor on case: Defendant was out drinking on Clearwater Beach. On the way home, he struck another motor vehicle as a result of the defendant's reckless driving. A passenger in ... the motor vehicle struck by the defendant died. The defendant was charged with DUI Manslaughter. He was convicted of Vehicular Homicide. The result was reversed by the judge and appealed. Following appeal, the case was refiled as a Vehicular Homicide, but the results of the defendant's blood alcohol was suppressed. He was again convicted of Vehicular Homicide and sentenced to five years in prison.

Lawsuits and disputes

Pinellas County v. Interpace Corporation et al

Jan 01, 1990

OUTCOME: $24.8 million verdict

Pinellas County entered into contracts with an engineering firm to design system for delivery of drinking water for county residents and with manufacturer to build and install the pipeline. After repe ... ated failures of the pipeline to meet the design specifications, the repair/replacement of the pipeline system was estimated at $50,000,000. Pinellas County brought suit and after 12 months of non-jury trial, the court awarded our client $19,800,000 in compensatorey damages and $5,000,000 in punitive damages. The case was reversed on appeal for the judge's failure to recuse himself upon the engineering firm's motion to do so midway through the trial, but the case was retried by co-counsel, again resulting in a verdict in favor or our client.

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