Davison v. Van Wert
Jan 01, 1996OUTCOME: Client awarded $1,200,000
First amendment rights case tried to Jury Verdict in the United States Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Ann Arbor, MI
Divorce and separation Lawyer at Ann Arbor, MI
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Family ... +5 more
OUTCOME: Client awarded $1,200,000
First amendment rights case tried to Jury Verdict in the United States Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
OUTCOME: Prevailed on appeal to Michigan Court of Appeals, Michigan Supreme Court, and United States Supreme Court, biological parents regained custody
The "Baby Jessica Case" was a highly publicized Adoption/Custody case in 1993 between between Jan and Roberta DeBoer, the couple who attempted to adopt the child, and her biological parents, Dan Schmid ... t and Cara Clausen (clients). In August, 1993, the supreme courts of Iowa and Michigan ordered her returned to her Biological parents. The media surround this case includes: -Motion for summary disposition filmed by ABC's "20/20." -Entire trial broadcast live by Court TV to over 8,000,000 households nationally. - Later appearances related to case on "Good Morning, America"; Court TV; "Larry King Live"; "Kelly & Company", a/k/a "Company" (on WXYZ, the Detroit ABC affiliate); "Spotlight on the News" (on WXYZ); "Inside Edition"; and "Sonja." -Repeated participation on radio programs by telephone interview (including program from Perth, Australia on 6PR). -Featured as attorney in profile pieces in October l993 in The American Lawyer and The American Bar Association Journal. - A TV movie, Whose Child Is This? The War for Baby Jessica was produced, dramatizing the events.
OUTCOME: Clients awarded $782,000
Federal Securities fraud case Tried to Jury verdict
OUTCOME: Client awarded custody of Child
This case involved both a paternity suit and a Adoption case. It went to the court of appeals where it was ruled into a custody case between the biological parents, and custody was finally awarded to ... the father.