Successful Cases

DWI Resolved With No Jail and No Probation After Speedy Trial Motion

Date: August 21, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Conditional discharge — no jail, no probation

Our client, arrested for the first time in his life after leaving a work event, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. Rather than negotiate from the outset, we litigated: we moved to dismiss on speedy trial grounds and challenged the People’s discovery compliance across nearly a year of appearances and multiple supplemental certificates. The court charged the prosecution with 90 days of speedy trial time — a finding that reshaped the negotiating posture completely. The case resolved with a conditional discharge, an ignition interlock, license reinstatement, and the standard programs — no jail and no probation.

DWI (.15 BAC) Reduced to DWAI for a Teacher and Coach

Date: August 14, 2026

Charge: DWI, .15 BAC · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Driving While Ability Impaired, a traffic infraction

Our client — a high school teacher and coach with no prior record — was stopped by State Police for swerving and later registered a .15 BAC, nearly twice the legal limit. A DWI conviction would have meant a permanent criminal record, a mandatory license revocation, and near-certain consequences with the school district.

We appeared at arraignment and won a hardship privilege on consent at the outset so our client could keep driving to work, then adjourned the case so the treatment and education requirements could be completed before any plea was entered. With that record in hand, we negotiated the DWI down to Driving While Ability Impaired — a traffic infraction, not a crime — with the Impaired Driver Program and a 20-day stay on the suspension. No criminal conviction, and our client kept both the license and the job.

DWI with a Prior and a Refusal — No Jail, No Probation

Date: August 12, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated; chemical test refusal · Court: Southampton Town Court · Result: Conditional discharge — no jail, no probation

Our client was charged with Driving While Intoxicated after a high-speed stop, having refused the chemical test, and with a prior alcohol-related conviction already on his record. The District Attorney’s office wanted jail and probation. Our review of the discovery told a very different story than the paperwork did — the field sobriety testing was performed well, and the officer’s own recording showed him steering the encounter toward drugs rather than alcohol. We had our client engaged in treatment while we developed those points, and the case resolved with a conditional discharge — no jail and no probation.

DWI Reduced to a Traffic Infraction

Date: August 6, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Driving While Ability Impaired — not a crime

Our client, who had no prior record, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated after a stop for excessive speed. In New York a DWI conviction is a crime that stays on your record permanently; a reduction to Driving While Ability Impaired is a traffic infraction and is not. We had our client complete community service and the required evaluations before the disposition date, so that the reduction we were asking for was supported by something concrete rather than a promise. The charge was reduced to DWAI under VTL 1192.1 with a conditional discharge and a 20-day stay of the suspension — no criminal conviction, no jail, no probation.

Third DWI Dismissed Entirely on Speedy Trial Grounds

Date: July 30, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated (third charge) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Dismissed in its entirety

Our client, who had driven for a living for fourteen years, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated — his third such charge, and the District Attorney’s office sought eight months in jail followed by three years of probation. We did not negotiate. We moved to strike the People’s certificate of compliance on the ground that their discovery disclosures were incomplete, briefed the motion fully, and answered the prosecution’s opposition point by point. The court invalidated the certificate of compliance — which meant the People had never been validly ready for trial in the first place. The case was dismissed in its entirety on speedy trial grounds: no conviction, no jail, no probation, nothing.

DWI with a Collision — No Jail and No Probation

Date: July 30, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Conditional discharge — no jail, no probation

Our client, who had no prior record, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated following a collision on a snowy night in which no one was injured. The District Attorney’s office opened at ten days in jail plus three years of probation — custody time and three years of supervision, on a first offense. We obtained a full alcohol evaluation before any plea discussion and put a clean OASAS assessment in front of the court, then held the case over several appearances while we pressed the point that the People’s demand did not match the record. Our client pled to the DWI and received a conditional discharge — no jail and no probation.

DWI and Drug Charge — Drug Case Dismissed, No Jail, No Probation

Date: July 30, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated; criminal possession of a controlled substance · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Drug charge dismissed; conditional discharge on the DWI

Our client — a union electrician of nine years and a homeowner who had never been arrested — faced two separate exposures after a minor collision: a Driving While Intoxicated charge, and a drug possession charge arising from a search during processing. The District Attorney’s office wanted jail and probation. We litigated the discovery aggressively, establishing that the People had certified compliance before the lab results were annexed to the file and that video evidence in the case had been destroyed — pressure that changed the negotiating posture entirely. The drug charge was dismissed outright, and the DWI resolved with a conditional discharge — no jail and no probation.

DWI with a Collision — Both Jail and Probation Avoided

Date: July 30, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Conditional discharge — no jail, no probation

Our client, 26 years old with no prior record, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated after a collision with a guardrail. The District Attorney’s office sought jail time and a term of probation — an outcome that would have followed a young person into every job application and background check for years. We put our client into treatment early and returned to court repeatedly with documented progress rather than promises, using each appearance to narrow the gap between what the People wanted and what the record actually supported. The case resolved with community service, a stay of the license suspension, and the Impaired Driver Program — no jail and no probation.

Second-Offense DWI with a Crash — No Jail

Date: July 27, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated (second offense) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Probation — no jail

Our client was charged with Driving While Intoxicated following a crash in which no one was injured, with a prior DWI conviction on her record from years earlier. The District Attorney’s office sought four months in jail plus probation — and on a second offense involving an accident, that is a realistic outcome, not a bluff. We built the case around treatment and mitigation, documenting our client’s engagement across a series of appearances so that by the sentencing date the court was looking at a record of progress rather than a rap sheet. Our client was sentenced to probation with an ignition interlock and the required programs — no jail.

Chemical Test Refusal Reduced to a Traffic Infraction

Date: July 27, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated; chemical test refusal · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Driving While Ability Impaired — not a crime

Our client was stopped driving home from the beach and refused the chemical test — a refusal that triggers its own license revocation on top of the criminal charge. We did not treat this as a plea negotiation. Over more than a year we litigated the People’s discovery compliance, forcing supplemental certificates that revealed the prosecution had come into possession of material, including radio transmissions, the day after certifying that everything had been turned over. With that record built, the case resolved on a re-plea to Driving While Ability Impaired under VTL 1192.1 — a traffic infraction, not a crime — with a conditional discharge, the Impaired Driver Program, and a 20-day stay of the suspension. No criminal conviction.

DWI with Flight from Police — No Jail

Date: July 20, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Probation — no jail

Our client was charged with Driving While Intoxicated after fleeing police at high speed, with a prior alcohol-related conviction already on his record — a combination that ordinarily ends in a jail sentence. The recommendation on the table was a four-month jail split. The chemical evidence was in fact weak, with readings at or near the legal threshold, and we paired that with fully documented treatment compliance throughout the case, including running down and disproving a false positive test result. Our client was sentenced to probation with community service and an ignition interlock — no jail.

DWI and Reckless Endangerment — Contract Plea, No Criminal Record

Date: July 20, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated; Reckless Endangerment · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Conditional discharge — no probation, no criminal record

Our client, a licensed for-hire driver, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Reckless Endangerment after being found asleep in a lane of traffic and then driving away when officers woke him. The District Attorney’s office recommended three years of probation. We negotiated a contract plea — an arrangement under which our client entered and completed a supervised treatment program, with the plea structured so that successful completion earned him a disposition at the Driving While Ability Impaired level. He completed the contract. The case ended with a conditional discharge and an ignition interlock: no probation, no jail, and no criminal record.

Second-Offense DWI — 45-Day Jail Offer Defeated

Date: July 16, 2026

Charge: Driving While Intoxicated (second offense) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Probation — no jail

Our client, an accountant with a prior DWI conviction, was charged after striking a parked car; he declined the chemical test and blood was later drawn at the hospital. The District Attorney’s opening offer was a 45-day jail split followed by two years of probation. We worked the case through discovery and mitigation over nine months, keeping our client in compliance and the file moving rather than letting it drift toward a sentencing date on the People’s terms. Our client was sentenced to probation with an ignition interlock and the victim impact program — no jail.

DWI Dismissed After Suppression Hearing — Law Student, .13 BAC

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: DWI (.13 BAC), open container, and marijuana possession · Court: Long Beach, Nassau County · Result: Dismissed after suppression hearing

Client R.R. was a young law student who made a potential life altering mistake by driving home from a party at a friend’s house. The law student was found to have a blood alcohol content of a .13 in addition to having an open bottle of alcohol in the car and marijuana. Due to the numerous negative factors involved in the case, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office refused to offer the client a reduced plea deal. Therefore, NY DWI attorney Richard Hochhauser moved the court to conduct a suppression hearing. At the hearing, the police officer testified that he pulled the vehicle over for speeding, and estimated that the vehicle was going 50 miles per hour.

During cross examination, Attorney Hochhauser got the officer to admit that he was never trained in estimating speeds while his own vehicle was also in motion, as was the case here. Thus, based on Attorney Hochhauser’s arguments, the Court found that the Officer was not credible in estimating the Defendant’s speed, and thus the Officer had no basis to pull her over. As such, all of the evidenced in the case was suppressed as “fruit of the poisonous tree” and the entire case was dismissed. As a law student, Client R.R. is now able to start her career with a clean record.

Second-Offense DWI Dismissed — Unconstitutional Checkpoint Stop

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: DWI, second offense · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal Lawyer Richard Hochhauser represented client P.L. charged with DWI in Nassau County. Due to a prior conviction, client P.L was facing jail time if he was convicted for his second DWI. Top Long Island DWI Lawyer Richard Hochhauser was able to obtain a full dismissal of the charges when he proved to the Nassau County District Court that client P.L. was illegally pulled over during an unconstitutional DWI checkpoint by the New York State Police, and thus all evidence was suppressed, forcing the Nassau County District Attorney to dismiss the charges.

Aggravated DWI Dismissed — .18 BAC, All Evidence Suppressed

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Aggravated DWI (.18 BAC) · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed; all evidence suppressed

Client R.H. had absolutely no criminal record and wanted it to stay that way. R.H. was charged with aggravated DWI as he blew a .18% blood alcohol content after being pulled over by the Nassau County Police Department. At the pre-trial suppression hearing, top New York DWI Lawyer Richard Hochhauser established that the Nassau County Police Department illegally pulled over R.H. even though he never violated the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

While the police alleged that the defendant had failed to signal and changed lanes unsafely, Mr. Hochhauser was able to show the court that the government failed to meet its burden, and the officer testimony did not support a finding that the defendant violated the law. Without a valid basis to pull the defendant over, Long Island DWI Lawyer Richard Hochhauser was able to get all evidence suppressed, and a full dismissal of the charges.

DWI Dismissed for an Accountant Who Registered a .07 BAC

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: DWI (.07 BAC) · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal and DWI Lawyer Richard Hochhauser represented accountant client E.S. In this case, E.S. was being charged with a DWI even though he only recorded a BAC of .07. DWI Lawyer Richard Hochhauser conducted a hearing before the Honorable Judge Andrew Engel at 99 Main Street, Nassau County District Court, where he cross examined the officer vigorously, showing the court the obvious inconsistencies in the officer’s testimony, and the proposed evidence. Mr. Hochhauser utilized his background in DWI prosecution to plainly show the court the fallacies in the government’s case. After the hearing, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office had no choice but to completely dismiss the DWI charge.

Felony Criminal Contempt Dismissed

Date: September 8, 2026

Charge: Criminal Contempt (felony) · Court: Nassau County Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed

Our client was charged with felony Criminal Contempt for speaking by phone with a former partner while a Family Court order was in place — with a companion misdemeanor case already calendared for trial. Contempt prosecutions move forward on the District Attorney’s decision, not the other party’s, and a felony conviction would have been permanent. We worked the underlying Family Court matter and the criminal case together, obtained proof that the family case had been dismissed, and put that documentation in front of the court before the trial date arrived. The case was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — the felony dismissed and sealed, with no conviction of any kind.

Felony Grand Larceny Reduced to a Misdemeanor

Date: August 7, 2026

Charge: Grand Larceny (felony) · Court: Nassau County Court · Result: Reduced to a Class B misdemeanor

Our client was charged with Grand Larceny for taking approximately $40,000 from an employer — a felony carrying state prison exposure and the end of a career built over two decades. Complicating matters, our client had already admitted the conduct to both the company and the police before we were retained, so litigating the statements was not a realistic path to a better outcome.

We built the case around mitigation instead: a long and otherwise unblemished work history, the complete absence of any prior record, and our client’s early acceptance of responsibility, pressed through multiple appearances while the District Attorney’s office evaluated the file. The felony was reduced to a Class B misdemeanor — the lowest grade of misdemeanor in New York. Our client avoided a felony conviction and the state prison exposure that came with it.

Felony Criminal Mischief Dismissed

Date: August 7, 2026

Charge: Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree (felony) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — felony dismissed and sealed

Our client was charged with Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree — a felony — after a road-rage confrontation in which the complainant kicked his mirror and he broke both of hers. The claimed damage exceeded $2,900, and a felony property-damage conviction would have ended our client’s livelihood. We filed a notice of appearance immediately, developed the provocation and mutual-conduct facts the complaint left out, and negotiated an arrangement under which restitution would be paid in exchange for a full dismissal rather than a plea. The case was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — the felony dismissed and the record sealed, with no conviction of any kind.

Felony Domestic Assault Reduced to a Misdemeanor — No Jail, No Probation

Date: July 29, 2026

Charge: Assault (felony) · Court: Nassau County Court · Result: Reduced to a misdemeanor with a conditional discharge

Our client was charged with felony Assault arising from an incident with a significant other — a charge carrying state prison exposure, a lifetime felony record, and the collateral consequences that follow a felony conviction for the rest of a person’s life. Rather than let the case be resolved on the People’s timetable, we got our client engaged in treatment early and built a mitigation record around that engagement over several months. We then used that record to move the District Attorney’s office off the felony entirely. The case resolved with a plea to a misdemeanor and a conditional discharge — no felony, no jail, and no probation.

Felony Grand Larceny Reduced to a Violation

Date: July 16, 2026

Charge: Grand Larceny (felony) · Court: New York County Criminal Court · Result: Reduced to a non-criminal violation

Our client, 29 years old, was charged with Grand Larceny — a felony — for taking roughly $10,000 in computer equipment from the laboratory where he worked. A felony theft conviction involving an employer makes a person close to unemployable in any field that runs a background check, and the dollar amount put this squarely in felony territory with real incarceration exposure. We negotiated on our client’s background and circumstances rather than contesting the underlying allegation, and pushed the District Attorney’s office down past the misdemeanor range entirely. The case resolved with a plea to a violation — no felony, no misdemeanor, and no criminal record.

Felony Grand Larceny Reduced to a Violation for a Registered Nurse

Date: July 15, 2026

Charge: Grand Larceny (felony) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Disorderly Conduct — a non-criminal violation

Our client, a registered nurse, was charged with Grand Larceny — a felony — over merchandise taken from a department store. For a licensed nurse this was never primarily a criminal case: a theft-related felony conviction is reportable to the licensing board and disqualifying with most employers in the field. We focused the negotiation on that reality and on our client’s background and circumstances rather than litigating the underlying allegation. The felony was reduced all the way down to Disorderly Conduct — a non-criminal violation — with community service. No felony, no misdemeanor, and no criminal conviction to report.

Felony Marijuana Sale Reduced to a Misdemeanor, Resolved by ACOD

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Felony sale of marijuana · Court: Nassau County · Result: Reduced to a misdemeanor, then resolved by ACOD under CPL § 170.56

Nassau County Criminal Lawyer Richard Hochhauser represented client charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Mr. Hochhauser was successful in reducing the charge to a misdemeanor marijuana offense, after which the client was eligible for a 170.56 marijuana ACOD.

Felony Possession of a Forged Instrument Dismissed

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Felony possession of a forged instrument · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal Attorney Richard Hochhauser successfully convinced the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office to dismiss a felony charge against his client B.W. B.W. was charged with felony possession of a forged instrument for having multiple fake IDs in his wallet. Mr. Hochhauser proved to the DA that an essential element to a possession of a forged instrument case in New York is the intent to defraud.

Here, the Nassau County Police Department searched the defendant’s wallet without justification, and found the fake IDs. There was nothing inherent in the Defendant’s actions that displayed any intent to defraud. Nassau County Criminal Attorney Richard Hochhauser has obtained countless additional dismissals based on diligent legal research and applying the law to his clients’ favor.

Second Theft Charge Dismissed

Date: August 21, 2026

Charge: Petit Larceny · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed

Our client was charged with Petit Larceny for a second time in Suffolk County — and a second theft charge is exactly the point where prosecutors stop offering dismissals and start talking about convictions. We handled both matters together rather than letting the newer case be judged against the older one, and made the case for a disposition that would leave our client with nothing on her record. The charge was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed, with no criminal record.

Petit Larceny Dismissed for a Teacher

Date: August 17, 2026

Charge: Petit Larceny · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — charge dismissed and sealed

Our client, a public school teacher with no criminal history, was charged with Petit Larceny following an incident at a big-box retailer — and the school district had already been notified of the arrest. A theft conviction, even a misdemeanor, can end a teaching career and trigger licensing consequences that outlast any court sentence. We filed a notice of appearance immediately, assembled our client’s background and clean record, and pressed the District Attorney’s office for a disposition that would leave no conviction of any kind. The case was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, meaning the charge is dismissed and the record sealed. Our client kept a clean record and kept teaching.

Bench Warrant Vacated and Theft Charge Dismissed for a Practicing Attorney

Date: August 3, 2026

Charge: Petit Larceny; outstanding bench warrant · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Warrant vacated; Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal

Our client, a practicing attorney with no prior record, missed a court appearance and a bench warrant was ordered — a situation that compounds fast, because the warrant becomes its own problem on top of the underlying charge. For a licensed professional, an open warrant and a pending theft charge are both serious in their own right. We appeared, got the warrant vacated first to clear the immediate exposure, and then turned to the charge itself. The Petit Larceny was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed, with no criminal record.

Six-Month Jail Offer on a Shoplifting Charge Defeated

Date: July 30, 2026

Charge: Petit Larceny · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Disorderly Conduct — no jail, no probation

Our client was charged with Petit Larceny over a small-dollar item taken from a large retailer. Because he had prior contacts with the criminal justice system, the District Attorney’s office opened at six months in jail or three years of probation — a demand wildly out of proportion to the conduct actually charged. We took over the case and made that point directly and repeatedly: the offer reflected our client’s history, not this allegation. The case resolved with a plea to Disorderly Conduct, a non-criminal violation — no jail, no probation, and no criminal conviction.

Theft Charge Dismissed — Client Kept Her School Job

Date: July 28, 2026

Charge: Petit Larceny · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed

Our client worked in food service at an elementary school and had no prior record when she was charged with Petit Larceny over merchandise from a department store. For someone working in a school, a theft conviction very often ends the job regardless of what sentence the court imposes. We moved quickly to get a program completed and certified before the return date, and presented that certificate along with our client’s clean history to the prosecutor. The charge was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal under CPL 170.55 — dismissed and sealed. Our client kept her job.

Criminal Contempt Reduced to a Non-Criminal Violation

Date: August 12, 2026

Charge: Criminal Contempt (alleged violation of an order of protection) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to Disorderly Conduct, a non-criminal violation

Our client was charged with Criminal Contempt for allegedly violating a “do not harass” order of protection during a domestic dispute — a charge carrying a permanent criminal record and, in many cases, real jail exposure. The complaining witness did not want the case prosecuted, but in New York that alone does not end a contempt prosecution; the decision belongs to the District Attorney.

Over several months we obtained adjournments on consent, worked with the DA’s office on appropriate alternative programming, and had our client begin an anger management program before any plea was on the table. The case resolved with a plea to Disorderly Conduct — a non-criminal violation — with a conditional discharge and completion of a six-session program. No criminal conviction and no jail.

Stalking and Harassment Charges Dismissed — Alleged Following of an Officer

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Stalking and harassment · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal Lawyer Richard Hochhauser represented client M.L. In this case, M.L. was charged with stalking a police officer. Attorney Hochhauser argued that the allegations in this case, that Defendant was “following” the officer in a public post office, failed to establish the course of conduct necessary for a stalking allegation. All of the related charges were dismissed along with the stalking charge. Motion practice is a commonly overlooked mechanism to get a dismissal in a criminal case. It is imperative to hold the government to its legal burden on all charges.

Assault and Harassment Case Dismissed

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Assault and harassment · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard Hochhauser successfully got his client, M.M.’s assault case dismissed. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office repeatedly claimed that they had enough evidence to go forwards to trial. Still, Mr. Hochhauser aggressively pushed the government to its burden, demanding that they announce ready for trial. Ultimately, the District Attorney’s office was not able to announce ready for trial within the allotted timeframe, and Mr. Hochhauser was granted a motion to dismiss the case before the Honorable Judge Girardi at the Nassau County District Court located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead, Nassau County.

Reckless Driving Reduced to Non-Criminal Violations

Date: September 8, 2026

Charge: Reckless Driving (misdemeanor) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to two non-criminal traffic violations

Our client, who lives out of state, was charged with Reckless Driving — a criminal misdemeanor — after losing control of a borrowed car and striking a tree on private property. She needed the case resolved quickly; repeated trips to Long Island from Philadelphia for court appearances were not realistic. We obtained her out-of-state driving abstract, submitted a mitigation package to the prosecutor early rather than waiting to be asked, and pushed for a disposition instead of a series of adjournments. The case resolved with pleas to two non-criminal traffic violations — no misdemeanor and no criminal record.

Suspended License Charge Reduced to a Parking Violation

Date: September 2, 2026

Charge: Aggravated Unlicensed Operation; expired registration · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to a VTL 1200(d) parking violation — no points

Our client was stopped driving a car she did not own and was charged with driving on a suspended license, along with an expired registration and a missing inspection sticker. The suspension traced back to an unpaid driver assessment fee she had never been told about — and which she paid as soon as she learned of it. We put that timeline in front of the prosecutor along with proof that our client was not the vehicle’s owner. The case resolved with a plea to a VTL 1200(d) parking violation — no criminal conviction and no points.

Reckless Driving Reduced to a Parking Violation

Date: September 1, 2026

Charge: Reckless Driving (misdemeanor) · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to a VTL 1200(d) parking violation — no points

Our client was charged with Reckless Driving — a criminal misdemeanor — after being involved in two collisions during a single incident. Facts like that make a case look far worse on paper than it is, and a Reckless Driving conviction carries five points, a permanent criminal record, and years of insurance consequences. We adjourned the case with a waiver of our client’s appearance so she was not repeatedly pulled away from her life, and negotiated the charge down over several months. The case resolved with a plea to a VTL 1200(d) parking violation — no points, no moving violation, and no criminal record.

Forgery Charge Dismissed

Date: August 28, 2026

Charge: Forgery · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed

Our client was charged with Forgery after an officer concluded that the out-of-state inspection sticker on her vehicle was counterfeit. She had been driving with out-of-state insurance and an out-of-state sticker while holding a New York license, and had no idea the sticker was anything but genuine. Forgery turns on an intent to defraud — and the documents in this case told a very different story than the officer’s conclusion did. We had our client obtain a valid New York inspection and presented the full documentary picture of what she actually knew and did. The charge was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed, with no criminal record.

Eleven Suspended License Charges All Dismissed

Date: August 26, 2026

Charge: Aggravated Unlicensed Operation — eleven counts · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: All eleven charges dismissed

Our client’s license was suspended over unpaid electronic tolls, and by the time she came to us the suspensions had compounded into eleven separate charges. Driving with a suspended license is a misdemeanor in New York, and eleven counts is enough exposure to create genuine jail risk and a criminal record that never goes away. We addressed the underlying toll problem and the charging documents together rather than treating this as a plea negotiation. All eleven charges were dismissed.

Counterfeit Inspection Sticker Charge Reduced to a Parking Ticket

Date: August 26, 2026

Charge: Counterfeit inspection sticker · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to a parking ticket — no points, no criminal record

Our client took his vehicle to a shop for an inspection and was given a sticker that turned out to be counterfeit — something he had no way of knowing and no reason to suspect. He was charged anyway. We assembled the documentation showing that our client was the victim of the shop’s conduct rather than a participant in it, and put it in front of the prosecutor. The case was resolved with a plea to a parking ticket — no criminal record and no points.

Ten Tickets Resolved Into One Violation at the First Appearance

Date: August 24, 2026

Charge: Suspended registration — ten counts · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to a single VTL 401.1 violation — no points

Our client came to us facing ten separate charges arising from a suspended vehicle registration. A stack like that normally takes multiple appearances over months to untangle, with the client exposed the entire time and the fines multiplying. We prepared the file and the negotiating position before the first court date rather than showing up to ask for an adjournment. At arraignment — the very first appearance — all ten tickets were resolved into a single VTL 401.1 violation with no points.

Reckless Driving Reduced to a Non-Criminal Violation

Date: August 19, 2026

Charge: Reckless Driving (misdemeanor) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to a non-criminal violation under VTL § 1180(a)

Our client was charged with Reckless Driving after an allegation of traveling roughly 85 mph while weaving in and out of traffic — a misdemeanor that carries a permanent criminal record and puts a license in serious jeopardy. The client drove regularly for work, so a criminal conviction was not an acceptable outcome.

Rather than accept the prosecution’s opening position, we adjourned the case for continued investigation and negotiated with the District Attorney’s office over several appearances, presenting the client’s driving history and the real-world consequences of a conviction. The misdemeanor was reduced to a single non-criminal traffic violation under VTL §1180(a) (unreasonable speed), resolved with a conditional discharge, a defensive driving course, and 14 hours of community service. Our client left with no criminal record and a valid license.

Leaving the Scene Charge Reduced to a Parking Violation

Date: August 7, 2026

Charge: Leaving the Scene of an Incident · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to a VTL § 1200(d) parking violation

Our client, a driver in her seventies with a clean record, received a Desk Appearance Ticket after police came to her home over a minor parking-lot contact with another vehicle — she had checked for damage, seen none, and driven on. Leaving the Scene of an Incident is a charge that sounds far worse than the underlying facts, and a conviction would have put points on the license of a senior driver and driven up her insurance.

We contacted the assigned prosecutor directly for an offer, had our client complete a defensive driving course before the return date, and presented the full picture of what actually happened that day. The charge was reduced to a VTL §1200(d) parking violation with a $400 fine — no points, no moving violation, and no criminal record.

Street Racing Spectator Charge Reduced to a Parking Ticket

Date: July 20, 2026

Charge: Street racing spectator · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to a parking ticket — no criminal record

Our client was charged as a spectator at a street racing event in Suffolk County — an enforcement priority that police and prosecutors have been treating far more seriously in recent years. He had also relocated out of state and could not fly back for every court appearance. We appeared on his behalf, arranged for him to complete a corrective thinking program and 14 hours of community service, and presented that completed work to the prosecutor. The case was resolved with a plea to a parking ticket — no criminal record, and no return trips to New York.

Misdemeanor Leaving the Scene Reduced to a Traffic Ticket

Date: July 16, 2026

Charge: Leaving the Scene of an Incident (misdemeanor) · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Reduced to a traffic infraction — a ticket, not a crime

Our client, who had no prior record, was charged in connection with a collision involving a landscaper. The District Attorney’s office wanted a plea to misdemeanor Leaving the Scene — a criminal conviction that would sit on our client’s record permanently and surface on every background check. We adjourned the case on consent rather than accept that, working the file through discovery while we pushed for a non-criminal resolution and the court’s own view of the case developed. The matter resolved with a plea to a traffic infraction and a conditional discharge — a ticket, not a crime.

All Vehicle and Traffic Counts Dismissed — Defective Supporting Deposition

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Misdemeanor driving with a suspended license and related VTL counts · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Dismissed on motion

Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard Hochhauser succeeded on his motion to dismiss all of the vehicle and traffic law counts charged, including a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license, for his client E.C. Mr. Hochhauser argued that the Nassau County District Attorney failed to properly serve a sufficient supporting deposition to the Defendant. Judge Helen Voutsinas issued the decision at Nassau County District Court located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead, Nassau County.

Reckless Driving, Resisting Arrest, and Fleeing Charges Dismissed

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Reckless driving, resisting arrest, and fleeing from police · Court: Nassau County · Result: Dismissed

Nassau County Criminal Attorney Richard Hochhauser successfully got his client, P.E.’s serious charges dismissed. The District Attorney was recommending up to six months in jail on this case. However, P.E. has immigration consequences attached to his case and could not take any plea. Mr. Hochhauser aggressively pushed his client’s case towards litigation and repeatedly answered ready for hearings. Mr.

Hochhauser ultimately drafted a 30.30 speedy trial motion, which was granted by the court, dismissing all of the criminal charges against P.E. While Mr. Hochhauser did not begin as P.E.’s lawyer, P.E. saw Mr. Hochhauser in court and asked if Mr. Hochhauser can take over this case. Within two months of taking over the case, Mr. Hochhauser was able to get his client’s case dismissed.

Entire Case Dismissed on Motion — Misdemeanor Suspended License

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Misdemeanor driving with a suspended license and related VTL counts · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Dismissed on motion

Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard Hochhauser succeeded in his motion to dismiss the entire case charged against client D.L., including a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license. Mr. Hochhauser argued that the Nassau County District Attorney failed to properly serve a sufficient supporting deposition to the defendant. Judge Goodsell issued the decision at Nassau County District Court located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead, Nassau County.

Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle Resolved by Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Unauthorized use of a vehicle (misdemeanor) · Court: Nassau County · Result: Adjournment in contemplation of dismissal

Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard Hochhauser was successful in obtaining for his client, L.W. an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal in case a where she was charged with a misdemeanor for driving in a stolen vehicle. Mr. Hochhauser was able to prove that his client had no knowledge that the vehicle was stolen and was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. By putting pressure on the Nassau County District Attorney and pushing the case towards litigation, Mr. Hochhauser was able to obtain this favorable result for the client.

Violation of a Conditional Discharge Dismissed

Date: September 8, 2026

Charge: Violation of a conditional discharge · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Violation dismissed; original sentence left intact

Our client was accused of violating the terms of a conditional discharge — an allegation that, if sustained, would have let the court vacate his original sentence and resentence him on the underlying case, with jail on the table. Violation proceedings get treated as a formality by a lot of people; they are not one. We tracked down the documentation on the outstanding program requirement and demonstrated our client’s compliance to the court. The violation was dismissed, and our client’s original conditional discharge stayed intact.

Reckless Endangerment Reduced to a Non-Criminal Violation

Date: August 25, 2026

Charge: Reckless Endangerment · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to Disorderly Conduct — a non-criminal violation

Our client, a dog breeder, was charged with Reckless Endangerment after an incident during a routine veterinary procedure: while she was vaccinating and drawing blood from a dog, the animal pulled back and the needle scratched the person holding it. The charge came against the background of an unrelated dispute with that same family over the dog itself — context the criminal complaint left out entirely. We made sure the court understood the actual mechanics of what happened and why the charge had been brought. The case resolved with a plea to Disorderly Conduct, a non-criminal violation, with an animal handling course. No criminal conviction.

Park Curfew Charge Dismissed for an Out-of-State Student

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Village park curfew violation · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — charge dismissed and sealed

Our client, a college student whose family lives out of state, was charged in Nassau County District Court after being found in a village park after posted hours. The practical problem was as serious as the legal one — the client was away for the summer and back at school by the end of August, and repeated trips to Long Island for court appearances were not realistic.

We appeared on the client’s behalf, secured an adjournment that worked around the travel and academic calendar, and negotiated with the prosecutor for a disposition that would leave no record. The case was resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — dismissed and sealed, with no conviction and no interruption to the school year.

Public Lewdness Charge Dismissed

Date: August 17, 2026

Charge: Public Lewdness (misdemeanor) · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal — charge dismissed and sealed

Our client was charged with Public Lewdness after an alleged incident at a Suffolk County park-and-ride lot — a misdemeanor that carries real stigma and follows a person through every future background check. We moved to resolve the case quickly and quietly, presenting our client’s history and willingness to complete a corrective-thinking program to the prosecutor before the case could develop a longer court record. The People agreed to an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal conditioned on completion of that program. The charge was dismissed and the record sealed — no conviction, no criminal record.

Trespass Charge Reduced to a Non-Criminal Violation

Date: August 17, 2026

Charge: Trespass · Court: Suffolk County District Court · Result: Reduced to Disorderly Conduct, a non-criminal violation

Our client was charged with Trespass in Suffolk County District Court after being processed and released from a location he had been told to leave. Even a low-level criminal trespass conviction creates a permanent criminal record that surfaces on employment and housing screenings. When our client’s international travel conflicted with a scheduled court date, we obtained an adjournment rather than let a bench warrant issue — a problem that turns a minor case into a serious one — and then negotiated the charge down with the prosecutor. The case ended in a plea to Disorderly Conduct, a non-criminal violation, closing the matter with no criminal conviction on our client’s record.

Cocaine Possession Dismissed at the First Court Appearance

Date: August 17, 2026

Charge: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance · Court: Nassau County District Court · Result: Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal at the first appearance

Our client, 22 years old with no prior record and working in a trade, was issued a Desk Appearance Ticket for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Cases like this routinely take months and several appearances to resolve — months during which a young person carries an open drug charge into every job application and background check. We had the file prepared and our client’s background documented before the first court date, and asked the court to resolve the matter then and there. The case was dismissed at the very first appearance — an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal under CPL 170.55, with the record sealed.

Twenty-Year-Old Felony Conviction Sealed Under CPL § 160.59

Date: August 20, 2026

Charge: Twenty-year-old felony conviction for forging Medicare documents · Court: Nassau County · Result: Record sealed under CPL § 160.59

Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard Hochhauser successfully sealed his client, P.P.’s twenty year old felony conviction for forging medicare documents, by filing a 160.59 motion. Mr. Hochhauser utilized the new sealing statutes available in New York. PP is now able to apply for jobs, mortgages, or loans without disclosing, or having his prior conviction, being used against him in any way.