NEWS & EVENTS "Continuous learning prepares you to take advantage of opportunities." -- Catherine Pulsifer
We at Ramsay, DeVore & Bennerotte, P.A. pride ourselves in keeping you up-to-date on the latest National, State and Local legal news, as well as important happenings here at our firm!
Click on one of these links to read a selection of recent Success Stories or learn more about the exciting Awards and Recognitions we have received!
 Criminal Attorneys Published in The Hennepin Lawyer's September edition.
The Hennepin Lawyer "The official publication of the Hennepin County Bar Association," has featured an article written by our very own Criminal Law attorneys here at Ramsay, DeVore & Bennerotte. The article, composed by Chuck Ramsay, Kevin DeVore and Sharon Osborn, takes an in depth look at Minnesota's DWI Implied Consent Law. Click here to read this wonderful article!
Attorney Bennerotte Speaks at Minnesota Association for Justice Convention.
Tom Bennerotte spoke at the Minnesota Association for Justice 25th Annual Convention on August 11th, 2007. The convention is held each year at Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minnesota. The event is attended by trial lawyers all over the state. Tom spoke on the topic of Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations. The discussion focused primarily on the statue of limitations in medical malpractice wrongful death cases and was designed to educate the attendees on how to prevent missing the statute of limitations. The convention was attended by over 100 Minnesota attorneys.
MAJ Convention News: Our Personal Injury Team is at it again!
At its annual convention in August 2007, the Minnesota Association for Justice recognized our attorneys for their contributions to the organization and to the community.
Thomas Bennerotte was a speaker at the legal education portion of the convention. He presented on the topic of the Statute of Limitations periods in personal injury, medical negligence, and wrongful death cases. His knowledge on the topic set many other lawyers straight, which will protect consumers as a whole from possible harm caused by a missed limitations period.
Denise Fullerton accepted an Award of Excellence that was presented to the Women for Justice and New Lawyers Sections, for their ongoing community service projects which have focused on the Avenues for Homeless Youth. Denise, as a Chair of Women for Justice, and Alison Knoche, as a Chair of the New Lawyers Section, have helped drive the efforts of the members of their groups to aide this shelter. They have raised donations of money and wish-list items throughout not only their organization’s members, but in the broader community as well. Their sections have also made efforts at showing the youth at this homeless shelter the faces of caring legal professionals, by helping them move into apartments and by recently hosting a barbeque.
Ramsay, DeVore & Bennerotte, P.A. also donated a scholarship for the convention, which permitted a lawyer new to the profession to attend and gain the knowledge offered at the continuing legal education program.
Our Thoughts are With You
August 2nd, 2007 - We at Ramsay, DeVore & Bennerotte turn our thoughts and prayers toward those and their families who are affected by the collapse of the 35W bridge. We sincerely hope that you and your loved ones find peace and solace during this time of tragedy.
Ramsay Graduates from the National College for DWI Defense at Harvard Law School
Chuck Ramsay, in an effort to continue to hone his skills as a criminal defense attorney, recently graduated from the National DWI College for DWI Defense summer course at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The college’s mission is to provide the finest advanced-level training available to DWI attorneys. The Summer Session, conducted at the Harvard Law School, is the college’s signature program for developing trial skills, including methods to attack field sobriety tests, breath and blood tests, for making opening and closing arguments, for developing new techniques to cross-examine police officers and government experts, and for developing and using expert witnesses for the defense. The Summer Session is limited in size to preserve a low student to faculty ratio. Only approximately one hundred lawyers from around the country are accepted each year for the program conducted at Harvard.
This course included presentations by the country’s leading DWI practitioners, including, Jim Nesci ("The Cure for Bad Breath," a course on attacking breath test results); Tracey Wood ("Using the Breath Test Expert Effectively"); Lenny Stamm ("Handling the Problem Witness"); Steve Jones ("Cross of the Real Sobriety Tests"); Bruce Kapsack ("Mining the Manual- Demonstration and Lecture on Impeachment techniques using the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Manual"); Ed Fiandach ("Opening Statement – High Test, Low Physical Evidence, Structure and Demonstration"); George Bianchi ("Closing Statement In Test Refusal Case – Structure and Demonstration"); Gary Trichter ("Jury Selection"); and finally, Larry Taylor addressed the students, reminding them of the importance of their work – not only in the short term – but also to help protect the erosion of the constitution.
DeVore Selected as SuperLawyer® 2007
Kevin DeVore, founding partner of Ramsay, DeVore & Bennerotte, P.A., was selected as SuperLawyer® by Law & Politics, Twin Cities Business and St. Paul Magazine for his work in criminal defense. This is the fourth consecutive year that Kevin has earned this honor.
Kevin believes that in order to be successful in the courtroom he must work harder and be more prepared than his opponent. The effort Kevin puts into his cases is never short of intense. Recently, at the conclusion of a serious felony jury trial, the prosecutor said to Kevin, "For the record, that was one of the best defended cases I have seen." Kevin has won jury trials in numerous criminal cases throughout the State, including five consecutive "not guilty" verdicts in 2006-2007.
Kevin is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame at the University of St. Thomas and is currently a director of a large financial organization.
DeVore to Speak at DWI Seminar
Kevin DeVore will be one of several guest speakers at the DWI Defense Seminar for Minnesota 2007. The annual event will be held this year on June 15th at the Northland Inn, Brooklyn Center. The seminar is designed to educate criminal defense attorneys about DWI laws, defenses, trial tactics, and changes to the DWI landscape. Attendees at the seminar, who regard this as the premier DWI defense primer for their practices, come from all over the state. The seminar will consist of the following lineup:
Topic
Minnesota DWI: 101
Legislative Update 2007
Caselaw Update 2006-07
Pending DWI/IC Challenges
Criminal Vehicular Operation/Homicide
The GERD Defense
DWI-ATV's and BWI
Cross Examination of DRE in DWI-Drugs
Navigating the Fast-Track and Due Process
Cross Examination of Intoxilyzer Operators | Speaker
Kevin DeVore
Thomas Bauer
Rebecca Rhoda Fisher
Jeffrey Sheridan
Richard Koch/Andrew Garvis
David Risk
James Ventura
Douglas Hazelton
Jeffrey Ring
Jerry Straus |
"Sen. Metzen is Arrested on Suspicion of DWI"
by Jim Adams & Joy Powell
Star Tribune - May 23rd, 2007
"Just hours after a gathering at a Capitol haunt to celebrate the end of the legislative session, state Sen. James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, was arrested early Tuesday on suspicion of drunken driving near his home..." Click here to read this article from the Star Tribune.
"For the Record, that was one of the best defended cases I have seen!"
Kevin DeVore works very hard for his clients. Whether successful or not at trial, the effort he puts into his cases is never short of intense. Recently, after battling against each other in a week long serious felony jury trial, the very experienced and well-respected prosecutor said to Kevin: "For the record, that was one of the best defended cases I have seen." Hard work and effective legal representation speak for themselves. Kevin is devoted to giving his clients the best legal advocacy available. He knows that one of the most effective tools he can provide his client is to ensure that he is more prepare and more skilled than his opponent. Way to go Kevin!
"Wisconsin Governor Urges Review of Racial Disparities in State's Criminal Justice System"
By Carrie Antlfinger
Associated Press, Monday April 9th, 2007
www.twincities.com
"MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin has one of the highest rates of incarceration for minority juveniles in the nation, Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday, as he urged a commission to take a hard look at racial disparity in the state's criminal justice system. A study released in January by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency reported that young blacks in Wisconsin were imprisoned at nearly 20 times the rate as young whites in 2002. "We've got to look at it honestly and directly and come up with ... real, practical suggestions on things that can be done," Doyle told the 24 commission members that included co-chairmen state Sen. Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, and Madison Police Chief Noble Wray." Click here for more of this story.
"Airline Blames Diet for Pilot Breath Test Failure"
Sat Apr 7, 2007 4:04 PM BST
www.reuters.co.uk
"LONDON, April 7 (Reuters) - An airline pilot arrested just before take-off on suspicion of being over the alcohol limit was not drunk and the diet he was on may have been to blame for the confusion, airline Virgin Atlantic said on Saturday.
Police arrested the 47-year-old pilot of a New York-bound Virgin Atlantic [VA.UL] plane at London's Heathrow airport last Saturday after being tipped off by security staff who thought the pilot had been drinking. While an initial breath test showed the pilot to be over the alcohol limit, police told the pilot on Saturday that a blood test was negative, Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles said. "The result showed the amount of alcohol in the blood was consistent with that of a non-drinker," he said. No charges will be brought against the British pilot, whose name was not released. The pilot, suspended after the incident, will be able to resume his duties immediately, the airline said. "He is elated with the news and is keen to resume his flying career as soon as possible," Charles said.He also said a diet the pilot had been on may have been the cause of the mistake. A laboratory that carried out a blood test on the pilot said some diets led the body to generate increased levels of acetone, he said. "It would smell like alcohol on someone's breath," he said.
© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved."
Ramsay Obtains Dismissal in Domestic Assault Case
"Spare the rod and spoil the child." This quote from the Bible (Proverbs 13-24, King James Version) stands for the notion that children will flourish only if punished, physically or otherwise, for any wrongdoing. While many parents disagree whether corporal punishment is appropriate in today’s society, the question really is, does the law permit parents to spank their children? If so, what amount of force is permitted under the law in Minnesota? Click here for the rest of the story!
"N.J. Drunken Driving cases on hold"
Here is a great article on the source code written by Troy Graham, and Inquirer Staff Writer. This is an issue that we at Ramsay & DeVore have been vigorously fighting. We're waiting for the Minnesota Supreme Court to issue its ruling soon...
Saint Louis Tribune Runs Article on the Faults of the DUI Testing Process
Click here to read a new article posted in the Saint Louis Tribune on February 7th, 2007. Right in line with the testing process issues Mr. Ramsay fights against when defending his clients, a former Utah Highway Patrol lieutenant speaks out against the DUI testing methods used in Utah's anti-drunk driving efforts.
Crackdown on Prosecutor Conduct
In an article by Paul Gustafson in a December, 2006 edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, we are informed about the need for a new legal "medicine" to give to Prosecutors. Judges are getting very frustrated about prosecutor miscondut, defined in Minnesota as "improper questioning of witnesses and closing arguments." Read on......
More Proof That The Intoxilyzer Does Not Work as Designed
Attorney Chuck Ramsay, a certified Intoxilyzer breath test operator, wrote an article in December, 2006 regarding the machine's faults. "I believe that a large amount of driver’s breath test results are falsely elevated due to mouth alcohol. Police officers, judges and lawyers on both sides fail to understand that the Intoxilyzer used in Minnesota and elsewhere does not work as claimed by the manufacturer." To read more about this important story click here.
*Charles Ramsay Wins Another Case at the Minnesota Court of Appeals!*
Congratulations to Charles Ramsay for winning another appellate court case! Ramsay convinced the three-member panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals that his client was denied his constitutional right to confront his accusers. Ramsay praised the appellate court for its ruling. "The court recognized that the state cannot take short cuts at trial....Click HERE for the rest of this exciting story!
Personal Injury Attorneys Coordinate Efforts in a Community Action Project
Denise Fullerton, as Chair of MTLA Women Lawyers, and Alison Knoche, as Chair of MTLA New Lawyers are coordinating a Donations Drive for a local homeless youth shelter. They are collecting donations from lawyers throughout the state which will be given to Avenues for Homeless Youth in Minneapolis. Both Denise and Alison's committees continue to sponsor this shelter throughout the year through contributions and volunteer activities. We commend and support Denise and Alison on this project!
Charles Ramsay's Brother Gordon is Named Duluth Police Chief
Congratulations are due to Attorney Ramsay's brother Gordon who was named Duluth Police Chief on Wednesday, Nov 29th, 2006. He has been a police officer for 14 years and at age 34, is believed to be the youngest police chief in Duluth history. Read the rest of this great story by clicking here!!!
Ramsay Testifies in Trial About Intoxilyzer's Design Failures
On Friday, November 17, 2006, Charles Ramsay testified in court as a witness regarding the operation of the Intoxilyzer 5000EN (the Minnesota model). Ramsay is believed to be the first defense attorney to testify regarding the Intoxilyzer 5000. He is a certified breath test operator and has completed the Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety. Click here for the rest of the story.
**Ramsay Becomes Certified Intoxilyzer Breath Test Operator** Charles Ramsay attended and successfully completed an Intoxilyzer Breath Alcohol Testing course November 10-12, 2006. With completion of this course, Ramsay along with another, become the first Minnesota criminal defense attorneys who have obtained the same education as the experts who testify for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in DWI trials. Read the rest of this great news event! |
