Michael Gene DeHaven's Legal Cases (4)

Divorce and separation

Extant Property Claim

Dec 16, 2014

OUTCOME: Monetary award granted

Through discovery, we learned that the opposing party took $50,000 from a marital account at a time when the marriage was undergoing an irreconcilable breakdown. Thus, the court gave our client a monet ... ary award, even though the asset didn't presently exist. Moreover, in that same case, we convinced the court that the other party absconded with over $60,000 worth of jewelry, despite the other party's contention that our client took the jewelry. Again, the court granted our client a monetary award for this "missing" property.

Child custody

Child Custody

Oct 17, 2014

OUTCOME: Favorable settlement

After I completed my cross examination of the first witness in a contested custody case, the other side requested a recess, and then engaged in settlement discussions that resulted in our client gettin ... g what he intended to request from the Court.

Criminal defense

Allegation of child abuse

Jun 01, 2011

OUTCOME: Favorable plea bargain

My client organized a home school co-op, and was accused of felony child abuse for beating a child in the program. The Prosecutor stated that the photos were: "horrific, the worst I've seen where disci ... pline is purportedly the explanation." After a thorough investigation, it became apparent that the alleged abuse was not the result of discipline, but rather a manifestation of my client's PTSD. A prominent forensic psychologist examined my client and authored a report declaring, in effect, that my client lacked any specific intent to harm the child, because of her condition. Unfortunately, current Maryland law does not allow expert psychological testimony on the issue of intent in a child abuse case. Nevertheless, we met with the Prosecutor, explained the Psychologist's opinion and negotiated a fantastic BINDING plea bargain. Not only did the State drop the felony, but agreed to allow the Judge to consider striking the guilty finding at the conclusion of the probationary term.

Child custody

Child Custody - allegation of sexual abuse

Nov 10, 2009

OUTCOME: We won!

My client was accused of abuse by wife who hired several experts in an attempt to prove the claim. After 8 days of testimony, the Honorable Ruth Ann Jakubowski stated that the trial was the "best prese ... ntation of evidence" she'd ever seen in a family law trial. She then found that there was no abuse and that the children were, in effect, being alienated.

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