Recent Cases

Read More Case: DCS accuses Macon County Father of sexual molestation of a former step child and sought to remove his visitation rights with his own daughter.

Result: Dismissal of the Department's petition and immediate return of Equal Time with Daughter.

Details: After several hearings exposing the inconsistencies in the belated statements of the former step child and the mother, and turning the Department's own experts to the advantage of the Father, Melanie Bean obtained a complete dismissal of DCS’s petition and obtained a ruling finding that the allegations against the father were a complete fabrication.  Father and daughter were reunited after an eight month fight to clear Father's name.

Read More Case: DCS accuses Wilson County Mother of neglecting her children and exposing them to drug use.

Result: Dismissal of the Department's petition at the first hearing challenging the authority of DCS to remove client’s children for her home.  Mother and children were immediately reunited based upon Melanie’s representation.

Details: Melanie Bean was able to obtain a dismissal of the petition of DCS that had removed Mother's children from her custody on an emergency basis.  The dismissal was obtained at the first hearing (often called a 72 hour hearing) when Melanie demonstrated that the department had insufficient proof and that the likely cause of the extreme allegations against the Mother was an over zealous ex-husband seeking to gain custody of their children through inappropriate means.

Read More Case: DCS accuses Wilson County Mother of physical abuse and failing to protect her daughter from physical abuse of her boyfriend.

Result: Child returned to mother's custody and DCS petition dismissed.

Details: In a Wilson co case, our client and her boyfriend were accused of physically abusing her daughter and causing severe bruising to her body.  Melanie negotiated with DCS allowing the child to reside with family members until an emergency hearing could be held for return of the child to the Mother.  This prevented the child from being removed to foster care pending the hearing. After a 72 hour hearing, Melanie was able to convince the court to return the child to our client, the child’s Mother, and the department eventually dismissed their petition against our client.

Read More Case: DCS indicated father for physical abuse after protecting his wife from an abusive foster child, who had already broken the leg of his wife in an earlier encounter.

Result: Indication reversed

Details: Due to Melanie’s vast experience with the Department of Children’s Service, and her successful history in fighting them, an attorney from East Tennessee asked for her help in appealing a case to chancery court and negotiating a reversal of the indication with the State Attorney General’s office.

Read More Violation: Felony Burglary, Criminal Trespassing, Misdemeanor Theft

Facing: Class C Felony Burglary Sentence of 3 to 15 years and fines in the state penitentiary and up to $10,000 in fines plus additional penalties for trespassing and theft.

Result: Felony burglary and theft charges dismissed, criminal trespass continued for 30 days until dismissed. Client left with no criminal record.

Additional Details: Client is a developmentally challenged young adult and was charged with entering an outbuilding with another young adult and stealing scrap metal. Even though the client was not of average intelligence he was still eligible to be charged as an adult. He was dismissed from his job, even though menial and was very devastated by the loss which was to continue until such time as there were no charges pending alleging theft or burglary charges.  After gathering the clients IQ testing and educational records, a quick agreement was reached to dismiss the felony burglary charges and thefts, while agreeing to continue the criminal trespass charge for 30 days until dismissed, leaving the client with no criminal record and the ability to return to his job.

Read More Violation:  Possession of Schedule II for Resale In School Zone - Class A Felony

Facing: Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 15 Years, plus fines and probation
 
Result:  10 days to be served on weekends and misdemeanor conviction only.
 
Additional Details:  Client is a hard working man with a family.  He works full time but after a few weeks of indulging in a drug addiction, while still working his job and getting little or no sleep at night, he is discovered by local police asleep in the parking lot of school closed for the summer.  In his car is several grams of a schedule 2 narcotic, cocaine.  What appears initially to be what would have been a charge of simple possession of a controlled substance for personal use, turns into a charge of Possession of a Schedule 2 Drug for resale while in a School Zone.  While possession of schedule two drug for resale is a serious class B felony, the application of the school zone enhancement turns the otherwise 8 to twelve year sentence, which carries the possibility of probation, into a class A felony (the same as second degree murder), with no possibility of probation, with a mandatory minimum sentence to serve of 15 years , if convicted.  After a lengthy investigation revealing the likelihood the government might fail in proving the essential element that the drug was for resale as opposed to possession for personal use, the Defendant receives 10 days to be served on weekends and misdemeanor convictions only.  A strong pre-trial investigation and proper presentment of the facts to the prosecuting attorney, was the primary method utilized to provide the citizen accused with the best criminal defense possible.  Client maintained his job, marriage and, due to suggested counseling. regains his sobriety. If you desire the  zealous representation that resulted in the above results from the best criminal defense attorney, give us a call.

Read More Case Type: Workers Compensation in Watertown, Tennessee

Case Details:  Maintenance worker injured both shoulders.

Result: Keith Williams was able to obtain a $100,000 settlement and client was able to return to job.

Read More Case Type: Workers Compensation in Carthage, Tennessee

Case Details:  Client was injured in vehicle accident while delivering furniture and suffered spinal injuries.

Result: Keith was able to negotiate a settlement for $75,000 lump sum and payment over the next 20 years to equal $125,000.