Resisting an unlawful arrest

On the one hand, it can be very risky to resist a police arrest that a person believes to be unlawful. Nevertheless, once the alleged resistance takes place, it is time for the criminal defense lawyer to review the applicable law for support for using reasonable force to resist an unlawful arrest.

Both Maryland and Virginia recognize the defense of resisting an unlawful arrest. Virginia v. Hill, 264 Va. 541, 570 S.E.2d 805 (2002); Arthur v. Maryland, ___ Md. App. ___ (July 2, 2010).

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Posted in Criminal Defense

He runs a meticulous outfit, and his support staff was excellent.

FAIRFAX CRIMINAL LAWYER I met Jon two days ago. He had started driving from Fairfax at six in the morning – crossing nearly the entire state to defend me in a small town that looked like it was frozen in the nineteen-forties.

The town looked like a set for Mississippi Burning. There were some beautiful buildings – but it also seemed menacing. I had been charged in this small town, and had spent months trying to arrange an adequate legal defense – from my home in Miami.

When I was first charged, I was overwhelmed by the situation. I then did what you are doing now: looked thru online reviews for the best lawyer for my case. Jon fit the bill so I called him. Since then, it has been several weeks of intense back and forth with him. He runs a meticulous outfit, and his support staff was excellent. They worked very hard to collect and compile all the useful documents. Everything worked. No mistakes.

I had multiple phone conversations with Jon, but, because of the long distance, had not met him in person. The court date was two days ago. I had arranged to meet Jon in a diner a few blocks from the courthouse. Before Jon arrived, I was in pretty bad shape. I had made a series of stupid mistakes, which had led to the charges, and I understood that, if things didn’t break my way – I was facing serious prison time. Jon walked into the diner, and sat down across from me. He has more than a passing resemblance to Bobby Kennedy. He also has something rare: Star Power. People in the diner, and later in the courthouse, followed him with their eyes. He is a person who immediately meets your eyes, and holds the eye contact. It was like suddenly being in a John Grisham movie, and you are on the side of the angels. Think of it like having Gus Grissom from CSI Las Vegas, sit down across from you at a diner- and he says he can help you. Jon ordered a black coffee and lifted two huge brown paper binders on to the table. He carefully flipped thru pages that he and his staff had organized with tabs. He had all my important defense documents immediately accessible.

Jon and I walked a few blocks to the courthouse. The sky was a steely overcast slate grey. We went thru the security guards with their holstered Glocks. He went thru some heavy doors to talk to the Prosecutor. The court doors then opened and we were directed to approach the bench. The prosecutor was an attractive woman, in a perfectly tailored outfit. She started talking to the Judge and seemed to be advocating FOR ME! I don’t fully understand what happened, but Jon had arranged for the case to be amended downwards, and then an on the spot dismissal with no guilty plea, no conviction, and several thousand dollar fines were reduced to a hundred dollar court cost.

We left the Courthouse – back into the worn brick town. He drove me to my hotel in his vintage sport’s car. I was left standing there outside my hotel on a cold January day in rural Virginia. My life had changed in a matter of hours. Jon had saved my life.

K. H.
Source: Google
Was on top of every aspect of my case

Nothing but good things to say was very professional and was on top of every aspect of my case explained every aspect of the process and made me feel comfortable about something I knew little about would highly recommend

C. W.
Source: Google
Knowledgeable, hard-working and will do what is necessary to get the best results

I have known Jon for many years and he is an excellent attorney. I regularly refer clients to him because I know they are in great hands. He is knowledgeable, hard-working and will do what is necessary to get the best results. Highly recommended.

Darren Meyer
Source: Google

Resisting an unlawful arrest

Jon Katz Practices in the Following Courts and Beyond