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Jon Katz’s victories

Virginia DUI deals- Converting DWI & refusal to wet reckless

November 20, 2022

Virginia DUI deals -- and all Virginia criminal case negotiating -- must be backed with a position of trial-ready strength. As a Fairfax DUI lawyer, I view trial readiness as plan A, B and C, thus making settlement negotiations important, but low stakes by being...

Guaranteeing no jail for my VA DWI- Which lawyer can assure that?

November 17, 2022

Guaranteeing no jail time is such an urgent concern for so many Virginia DUI defendants that many ask me about that from the moment we calendar an initial confidential consultation. As a Fairfax DUI lawyer, I know that minimizing -- and, better yet, eliminating --...

Virginia false negotiating barriers- Fairfax criminal lawyer comments

October 23, 2022

Virginia false criminal negotiating barriers frequently arise with prosecutors who talk about "office policy" and criminal defense lawyers who harp about barriers to dealing with a particular commonwealth's attorney's office about particular kinds of prosecutions. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, numerous times I have heard...

Engage, entertain and emote with the prosecutor for criminal deals

October 12, 2022

Engage, entertain and emote is my watchword in negotiating for settlement agreements with Virginia prosecutors. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I take a page from Sun Tzu's admonition to keep the opponent "constantly engaged; hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given...

Transforming Virginia criminal court curveballs to victory

September 23, 2022

Transforming curveballs into victory is an essential part of a successful Virginia criminal defense lawyer's toolkit. As a Fairfax DUI lawyer, I found myself more than once reminding the prosecutor in my two then-upcoming Virginia DWI trials -- set for the same court date --...

Fairfax reckless & refusal converted by me from 2nd DUI charge

July 22, 2022

Fairfax reckless driving and first-time refusal results are far from guaranteed when a defendant is prosecuted for a second alleged Virginia DUI and refusal offense. As a Fairfax DUI lawyer, I am delighted when my client and I reach such excellent results, as I did...

Virginia repeat DUI charges need a full defense

July 8, 2022

Virginia repeat DUI charges bring mandatory jail time if convicted, together with a lengthy suspended driving period. Do not take any DWI or other criminal prosecution lying down. As a Virginia DUI lawyer, I urge you to obtain a qualified attorney work as a strong...

FST weakness gets pounced on and results in a DUI trial acquittal

March 31, 2022

FST (field sobriety testing) often get overly built up by police and prosecutors in Virginia DUI trials. In reality, prosecutions typically have holes to mine, enlarge and exploit in fighting for acquittal. Sometimes that yields acquittal, like with my recent DWI bench trial. In this...

Fairfax blood DUI defense- Overcovering risk to obtain a successful result

March 24, 2022

Fairfax blood DUI defense includes a trip to court on the first scheduled date and, if the case does not settle yet, to schedule a trial date months in advance. As a Virginia DWI lawyer, I know that this trial date delay is to accommodate...

Obtaining acquittal starts long before entering Virginia criminal & DUI court

March 9, 2022

Obtaining acquittal against Virginia criminal and DUI charges does not happen at the snap of a the fingers, but with your lawyer being fully prepared for trial before ever parking at the courthouse. As a Fairfax DWI lawyer, I here recount a recent bench trial...

He is simply outstanding!

Jon Katz is an excellent lawyer. I’ve known him for more than two decades and have always been extremely impressed by his knowledge of the law and his dedication to his clients. I am a lawyer but I am not licensed in Virginia. Mr. Katz is my “go-to” lawyer there. I regularly refer clients to him and feel confident that they are in the best hands. I have watched Mr. Katz in trial and have learned from observing his skill and finesse. He is simply outstanding!

Audrey Creighton
Source: Google
Jon is a consummate professional and cares deeply about the people he represents

Jon is a consummate professional and cares deeply about the people he represents. He is an asset to the profession and is fantastic for anyone needing assistance with criminal or traffic cases in Virginia.

Sharon Diamant
Source: Google
He has a long record of success - and I am happy I made that choice.

Jon was able to negotiate a settlement with the prosecutor that was initially a plea to a lesser charge; then a dismissal of that charge, without admission of guilt, and without conviction . He also negotiated several thousand dollars in fines, down to only paying a one hundred dollar court cost. This result was quite a lot more than I had thought possible. Jon had settled a case that potentially would lead to serious jail sentence – down to essentially no serious penalty at all. This is what Jon did:

1. Over multiple weekly phone conversations, he interviewed me about all relevant factors of the case.

2. He aggressively sought and obtained – thru “discovery”, and “Brady” — multiple bodycams from arresting officers. He spent about 12 hours reviewing these videos carefully. He used the term “inside the four square corners”. This was a term that reflects a careful search for precisely what was used by police to obtain consent to search, and all aspects of the arrest – and if the provided video evidence supported or challenged – the eventual charges. He carefully looked for any details from the scene, or from dialogue, that were exculpatory.

3. He assigned me multiple tasks, beginning on day one – that forced me to focus on the charges, weigh my culpability, and make strong behavioral changes that may possibly indicate to prosecution that I recognize the problems I have created, and am taking direct actions to counter the damage I have done- and obviate future injury or harm. This was additionally helpful because it provided me with a sense of some control over my situation.

4. He spoke to me on numerous occasions, by phone, to give a detailed plan for my defense. He informed me in a firm but also supportive way – seeking my consent – and he was realistic – but also allowed some hope and dignity for the position I was in.

5. He did an extensive literature and case review to find any prior cases that could act as precedent in my case. He was able to find a recent, high profile case, that was settled in a Virginia Court. Its main elements were similar to mine. Jon obtained the transcript of the cross-examination in that case. When Jon had reviewed those elements, he was then able to hire an expert witness who could address the discovered vulnerabilities.

6. Jon showed an extensive knowledge of case law. He also showed expertise in the plea negotiation process.

7. The day of trial, Jon was able to show the prosecutor, and the judge, that he was prepared to offer a methodically laid out defense, with recent precedent, and expert testimony. Also, he was able to present me in a context a little broader that just a person attached to these charges. He showed this event in a broader sense of my life, and convinced the judge that I had taken steps to correct my problems, and that I had been of service to society for many decades. He presented what I believe to be an accurate and FAIR assessment of my situation.

I can look back over the past several months since I hired Jon. It started as a google search for “Best Virginia Lawyer”. The first search results, at the top of the page- I knew these were paid advertisements. I generally skip these ads, trying to find the most accurate reviews. But – and I am happy I did – I also reminded myself that these ads are PAID FOR and whoever is paying for the ads likely IS SUCCESSFUL , so I gave Jon a shot.

He has a long record of success – and I am happy I made that choice.

Anon.
Source: Avvo