September 2010
The Bureau of Prisons released the Schertler & Onorato’s client, a military inmate who had been detained by federal authorities for over 500 days beyond the expiration of his court–martial sentence based on the federal government’s filing of a civil commitment certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 4248. The client’s release followed Lisa Hertzer Schertler’s successful briefing and oral argument in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which held in June 2010 that military inmates who are merely housed in BOP facilities are not subject to civil commitment under section 4248.
July 2010
Schertler & Onorato client acquitted of all charges: The Schertler & Onorato defense team of David Schertler, Bob Spagnoletti, and Veronica Jennings represented our client charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and evidence tampering, stemming from the highly publicized 2006 stabbing death of Robert Wone. Following a five week trial in D.C. Superior Court, our client was found not guilty on all counts.
June 2010
Hear Lisa Fishberg discuss constitutional legal issues affecting federal law enforcement agents on Federal News Radio, "What Federal Agents Should Know When Not in the Field."
June 2010
In the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Lisa Hertzer Schertler successfully defended the dismissal of a civil commitment proceeding initiated by the federal government. In a unanimous published opinion, the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling that military inmates who are housed in Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities as a convenience to the Army do not become subject to federal civil commitment under 18 U.S.C. § 4248, because those inmates remain in the legal custody of the military. The court of appeals ruled in our client’s favor after expedited briefing and oral argument.
January 2010
Lisa Hertzer Schertler and Phil Stackhouse obtained a dismissal of a civil commitment proceeding initiated by the federal government against their client in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The district court ruled that the relevant commitment statute, 18 U.S.C. 4248, does not apply to military prisoners who are housed in Bureau of Prisons facilities but were not prosecuted by the Department of Justice.
December 2009
Danny Onorato, David Schertler, Veronica Jennings, and Lisa Hertzer Schertler obtained a dismissal of all charges against their client, Dustin L. Heard, a Blackwater security contractor, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In a landmark 90 page decision, the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina found that prosecutors and agents improperly used the compelled statements of Mr. Heard and four codefendants, thereby violating the defendants’ constitutional rights and requiring the dismissal of the indictment against all the defendants.
December 2009
Lisa Fishberg secures the dismissal of a civil lawsuit in the D.C. Superior Court, filed against our client, a third–party defendant in a legal malpractice lawsuit. Schertler & Onorato’s client, a highly experienced local attorney, was sued by his former client’s predecessor counsel for contribution and indemnifcation. Following oral argument, the court granted Ms. Fishberg’s Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss.
November 2009
Schertler & Onorato obtained a dismissal of all charges on behalf of a former insurance executive charged in multi–million dollar price fixing case in New York. The case, originally brought by then Attorney–General Eliot Spitzer and later Andrew Cuomo, alleged that major insurance firms and insurance brokers engaged in unfair business practices in a massive bid rigging scheme. Schertler & Onorato obtained a dismissal of some of the original charges in 2007 and obtained the dismissal of all remaining charges on November 19th. Read the story.
November 2009
David Schertler has been recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the Top 30 lawyers in the Washington, D.C. area, home to more than 80,000 lawyers.
November 2009
David Schertler and Danny Onorato have been named elite criminal defense attorneys in the Washington D.C. area by Washingtonian Magazine.
October 2009
Mark Schamel and Claire Clark obtain Rule 29 Judgment of Acquittal on all charges for client in massive white collar investigation in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Following a two year investigation and a month long trial, the Schertler & Onorato trial team obtained the Rule 29 dismissal of the Indictment. Our client was a seminar speaker for a national publicly traded seminar company. The US Attorney’s Office, with the FBI and US Postal Inspectors, alleged a multimillion dollar fraud with over ten thousand victims.
October 2009
David Dickieson completed the presentation of evidence in a complex case in the US Tax Court involving secret Swiss bank accounts. A decision in the case is expected in early 2010. Mr. Dickieson has been on the forefront of the turmoil involving the implosion of the Swiss bank, UBS, as a tax haven for wealthy Americans.
October 2009
Lisa Fishberg, representing former United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, secured the dismissal of a federal civil lawsuit. Schertler & Onorato successfully argued that the plaintiffs, Justice Department applicants who alleged discrimination, had no legally cognizable claim against Attorney General Gonzales. Read the story.
October 2009
David Schertler has been named a "rising star" in the area of corporate compliance by The Ethisphere Institute on its Attorneys Who Matter list, which recognizes leading legal professionals that have excelled in and made a significant contribution to the corporate compliance arena. The research–based Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think–tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti–corruption and sustainability.
October 2009
David Schertler and Danny Onorato have been selected for inclusion in 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Best Lawyers is among the most respected peer–review publications in the legal profession. Mr. Schertler was selected by his peers as one of the nation’ best lawyers in the specialties of Criminal Defense: White Collar and Criminal Defense: Non–White–Collar; Mr. Onorato was selected as one of the nation’s best lawyers in the specialty of Criminal Defense: Non–White–Collar. To learn more about this prestigious honor, please go to www.bestlawyers.com.
August 2009
Phil Stackhouse secures a complete acquittal for a former Marine. The client was charged with felony assault by strangulation and assault on a female. The case went to trial before a jury in North Carolina. The jury found Mr. Stackhouse’s client Not Guilty of All Charges.
July 2009
Danny Onorato has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Mid–Atlantic Innocence Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping innocent people who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
July 2009
In the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Lisa Schertler and Danny Onorato successfully argued for a significant downward variance from the federal sentencing guidelines, resulting in a probationary sentence for our client.
July 2009
Mark Schamel and Claire Clark secure an acquittal for a client tried on charges of sexual battery in the General District Court for Arlington, Virginia.
June 2009
The Council for Court Excellence has published the Guide to the D.C. Juvenile Justice System. Schertler & Onorato attorney Bob Spagnoletti headed the committee that produced the guide. The guide is the first of its kind in the District of Columbia, providing the public with information regarding how the juvenile justice system works. Read more.
July 2009
David Dickieson and Aimee Simpson have all monetary damage claims against our client dismissed by the D.C. Superior Court. Our client faced a multi–count lawsuit brought by her former employer, a large healthcare corporation, for breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of the duty of loyalty, and intentional interference with business relations. The court agreed with Schertler & Onorato’s position that our client’s contract prohibited the corporation from bringing action in the District of Columbia for monetary damages.
March 2009
United States Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton appoints Bob Spagnoletti to serve on the District of Columbia Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission.
March 2009
Schertler & Onorato attorneys obtain directed verdict in client’s favor in domestic violence trial in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
March 2009
David Schertler selected to 2009 Washington D.C. Super Lawyers for White Collar Criminal Defense.
March 2009
Schertler & Onorato attorney Mark Schamel wins civil domestic violence and child abuse trial in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland.
February 2009
Schertler & Onorato attorney Mark Schamel succeeds in getting first degree murder charges dropped in high profile case.
January 2009
Mark Schamel obtains dismissal of all charges of felony gun possession and assault on a police officer in D.C. Superior Court.