Adam Sheppard is on the Chicago Bar Association’s Editorial Board and an Assistant Co-Editor of the Young Lawyer’s Journal. This year he was again honored to review the Chicago Bar Association’s 87th Annual Christmas Spirits Show. Here is a link to the review: Adam Sheppard’s Review of the Chicago Bar Association’s Annual Christmas Spirit’s Show (2)
Barry and Adam Sheppard recently received this letter from a grateful client. The letter embodies the level of profesionalism, dedication, and skill that we devote to all of our clients and cases.
Letter of Gratitude from KF
Following a detention hearing involving the case discussed in the Department of Justice presss release and Fox News Article below, a federal magistrate judge denied the government’s request to detain D.S. – Sheppard & Associates’ client — without bond. Sheppard & Associates had submitted a memorandum of law in support of their request to allow bail for D.S.. The case is currently pending in the Federal District Court in the Northern District of Illinois. See DOJ Press Release & Fox News Article: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/john-daniel-sullivan-patrick-rooney-home-repair-scam-targeted-elderly-arrested-20101006
On January 6, 2011, in the Fourth Municipal District, Maywood, Illinois, Adam Sheppard won an acquittal on behalf of his client, F.R., who was charged with Harassment Through Electronic Communication and Disorderly Conduct. The charges alleged that the defendant sent “obscene” text messages to the complaining witness with an intent to offend her. On cross-examination, the complaining witness conceded to Adam Sheppard that several of the phrases in the text messages such as “hook up” were subject to varying interpretations. Adam Sheppard also cross-examined a Berwyn police deparatment officer regarding the Department’s investigation of the defendant’s phone records and gmail account. After the State rested, Adam Sheppard made an argument in support of his motion for a finding of acquittal at the close of the State’s case. Mr. Sheppard presented several United States Supreme Court cases on the definition of obscenity, which included Justice Potter Stewart’s classic definition of obscenity – ”I know it, when I see it.” Mr. Sheppard also attacked the chain of records which allegedly linked the defendant to the telephone number associated with the text messages, Following argument, the judge agreed that the text messages were not “obscene.” The judge also questioned whether the telephone records sufficiently linked the defendant to the text messages in question. The judge granted Mr. Sheppard’s motion for a finding of acquittal at the close of the State’s case and found the defendant “not-guilty” of all charges.
On January 8, 2011, at the Daley Center, 50 W. Washington, Chicago, Adam Sheppard won an acquittal on behalf of the firm’s client, I.G., following a bench trial. The arresting officer testified that the defendant’s vehicle was weaving and that the defendant showed several clues of impairment during the field sobriety tests which included the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, walk-and-turn test, and one-leg stand test. Adam Sheppard cross-examined the arresting officer on the concept of Optokinetic Nystagmus– movement of the pupil when it observes rapidly moving objects such as the oscillating lights on a police vehicle –and how it can affect the accuracy of the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test. Mr. Sheppard also elicited testimony from the officer that an overweight individual — as the defendant was in this case — may have difficulty performing the one-leg stand test. The trial judge granted Mr. Sheppard’s finding for acquittal at the close of the State’s case, thereby obviating the need for the defendant to testify.
On January 7, 2011, at the Chicago Bar Association, Adam Sheppard, who serves on the Executive Council of the Young Lawyer’s Section of the CBA lectured at the Criminal Law Committee for young lawyers. The lecture concerned being involved in a family-run law practice. Adam set forth 5 guidelines for working with family and offered some entertaining anecdotes about working with his father. Look for Adam’s article on family-run law practices in the next edition of the CBA Record.
