A truly remarkable result … the first time Ryan has ever seen a Judge exhibit so much courage. Ryan’s client was charged with First Degree Sale of Cocaine, for selling a kilo to an undercover police officer. Ryan negotiated a very favorable plea agreement for his client, and the government agreed to stay imposition of sentence (case becomes a misdemeanor after probation) with no further executed jail time.
Due to mitigating circumstance of the case, at sentencing Ryan appealed to the Judge to reject the plea agreement and stay adjudication of sentence instead (stay adjudication means client is NEVER convicted). Prosecutor vehemently opposed Ryan’s argument, and the Judge did nearly the impossible and granted Ryan’s motion to stay adjudication of sentence. In short, the Judge did the right thing even when the government opposed. Client was never convicted. Sadly, immigration officers were waiting outside the Courtroom, and after walking out of court, they arrested Ryan’s client out of the hands of his wife and children.