Case Results
If you are in need of a criminal defense attorney or a personal injury lawyer, you need representation from someone who has a proven record of positive case results. I am committed to each case I take on, and will do everything I can to win your trial or reach a positive settlement out of court.
Call my office at 612-436-3050 or my cell at 651-214-8624 for more details on cases I have won or to schedule your free and comprehensive consultation. You can also request more information online.
Dedicated representation, real results
The following case results are organized by area. Click the links below to see successful results in an area relevant to your case:
- Domestic assault, domestic abuse and felony assault cases
- Criminal sexual conduct/rape/sexual abuse cases
- Drug sale/drug possession
- Burglary and theft cases
Domestic Assault/Abuse & Felony Assault Cases
State v. Defendant (Stearns County, 2010)
Client found NOT GUILTY of Domestic Assault by jury
Outcome: Attorney Cotter successfully argued to the jury that his client’s ex-girlfriend had exaggerated and fabricated an intentional assault. The jury found the client NOT GUILTY after only about 10 minutes of deliberation.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2009)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 5th Degree Assault by jury
Outcome: Attorney Cotter skillfully cross-examined the alleged victim regarding an alleged assault that occurred at his client’s home. The jury found the client NOT GUILTY.
State v. Defendant (Hennepin County, 2010)
Domestic Assault charged DISMISSED by State
Outcome: Attorney Cotter used a private investigator to obtain a statement from his client’s wife that she had actually physically assaulted her husband and that he had merely defended himself. Upon receipt of the private investigator’s statement, the prosecutor suspended the prosecution. The client’s case will be completely dismissed after one year, so long as no further criminal charges of the exact same type are charged.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2009)
Domestic Assault charge reduced to a PETTY MISDEMEANOR public nuisance
Outcome: Attorney Cotter used a private investigator to obtain a statement from the client’s live-in girlfriend that she was changing her story and that he had not intentionally struck her. Upon receipt of this statement the prosecutor dropped the charges to a PETTY MISDEMEANOR public nuisance with a small fine.
State v. Defendant (Nicollet County, 2009)
Felony Assault by Strangulation and Domestic Assault DISMISSED and client pled guilty to misdemeanor simple assault
Outcome: Attorney Cotter’s investigation provided reasonable doubt regarding the felony level allegations of client’s ex-girlfriend. The prosecutor DISMISSED the felony and client pled guilty to a simple assault. Client is able to maintain his right to hunt.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2009)
Domestic Assault Charge DISMISSED by State after one year if client has no same or similar offenses
Outcome: Attorney Cotter used a private investigator to obtain a statement from the client’s wife that was significantly different than what she had told police. The prosecutor agreed to DISMISS the charges after one year if client did not have any same or similar offenses.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2009)
Domestic Assault charged reduced to a PETTY MISDEMEANOR
Outcome: Prosecutor agreed to reduce charges to a PETTY MISDEMEANOR with a fine. Client completed counseling on his own upon the advice of attorney Cotter.
State v. Defendant (Hennepin County, 2009)
Domestic Assault charged DIMISSED by Prosecutor after one year if client has no same or similar offenses
Outcome: Just prior to setting the matter for trial the prosecutor agreed to DISMISS the case after one year so long as the client did not have any new charges for the exact same type of offense.
State v. Defendant (Chisago County, 2008)
Domestic Assault and Criminal Damage to Property charges DISMISSED by State
Outcome: The investigation by attorney Cotter’s legal team provided evidence that client was entering his own home and the he could not be convicted of damaging his own property. Moreover, Cotter filed motions intending to use the alleged victim girlfriend’s prior felony convictions against her at trial. The prosecutor DIMISSED all charges.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Client found NOT GUILTY of Domestic Assault by jury
Outcome: Jury found attorney Cotter’s client NOT GUILTY on all charges.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Client found NOT GUILTY of Felony 2nd Degree Assault by jury
Outcome: Jury found client NOT GUILTY of Felony 2nd Degree Assault saving client from going to prison. Client was found guilty of the lesser misdemeanor offense and given credit for time served.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2005)
Client found NOT GUILTY of Domestic Assault by jury
Outcome: Jury found attorney Cotter’s client NOT GUILTY on all charges.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Client found NOT Guilty of Felony Terroristic Threats by judge
Outcome: The judge found attorney Cotter’s client NOT GUILTY of threatening his neighbors. Attorney Cotter successfully convinced the Judge that the client’s behavior did not meet the legal definition necessary to find him guilty.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2005)
Prosecutor DISMISSED Terroristic Threats charge during trial
Outcome: The prosecutor DISMISSED the charges against attorney Cotter’s client during the jury trial.
Criminal Sexual Conduct/Rape/Sexual Abuse Cases
State v. Defendant (Hubbard and Cass County, 2010)
5th Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct DISMISSED
Outcome: Attorney Cotter’s private investigator interviewed five additional essential witnesses that the police had failed to even consider or interview. Attorney Cotter also filed motions for additional disclosures of the alleged teenage female victim’s prior records, and motions to dismiss for lack of sufficient probable cause. The Cass County Judge DISMISSED the Petition for lack of probable cause. On the morning of trial, the Hubbard County prosecutor DISMISSED the case against juvenile client.
State v. Defendant (Ramsey County, 2010)
Solicitation of Prostitution charges DIMISSED
Outcome: The prosecutor DISMISSED the charges against attorney Cotter’s client after the prosecutor was unable to provide documents that the defense was entitled to obtain, and that were crucial to the case.
State v. Defendant (Hennepin County, 2009)
Client NOT GUILTY of Attempted Criminal Sexual Conduct and False Imprisonment
Outcome: After a week long jury trial, Cotter’s client was found NOT GUILTY by the jury. Cotter successfully attacked the credibility of the state’s witnesses and argued that the police used coercive and misleading tactics to obtain incriminating statements from his client.
Read news article on this case here
State v. Defendant (Olmsted County, 2009)
Rape Investigation CLOSED with NO CHARGES
Outcome: Client was investigated by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s office regarding an alleged rape of his female roommate. Attorney Cotter hired a private investigator who obtained witness statements that created significant questions regarding the credibility of the alleged female victim. Upon receipt of these statements the prosecutor declined to bring charges.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2008)
Felony Solicitation of a Minor to Engage in Prostitution dropped to Misdemeanor
Outcome: Based on defense investigation, along with demands for disclosure of confidential records of the alleged teenage girls health and school records, the State agreed to amend the felony charges to a misdemeanor with no jail time imposed.
State v. Defendant (Carver County, 2008)
Rape Investigation CLOSED with NO CHARGES
Outcome: Attorney Cotter was able to obtain video footage of the alleged victim engaged in consensual sex with client’s girlfriend. This footage was extracted by an expert and burned onto CD and provided to the prosecuting authority. This information, along with further investigation produced evidence that called into question the truthfulness of the alleged victim. The prosecution declined to charge client.
State v. Defendant (Hennepin County, 2007)
Charges of Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct DISMISSED during jury trial
Outcome: Client was accused of exposing himself and interacting inappropriately with a coworker’s daughter. Client admittedly denied these allegations and took the case to trial. Client’s matter was published in the newspaper on more than one occasion. At the first trial, after a couple days of selecting a jury the prosecutor abruptly DISMISSED all charges, but threatened to bring the charges again with more victims. The prosecutor did bring the charges again, and at the second trial offered to reduce the matter to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Attorney Cotter said no that his client would not accept a criminal record for a crime he did not commit. Ultimately the charges were continued one year and DISMISSED a second time.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2007)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 2nd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct by jury
Outcome: The jury found attorney Cotter’s client NOT GUILTY on all charges. The state brought client to trial 15 years after the alleged crime. The state flew client’s daughter in to testify from Colorado, and flew client’s son from Missouri to testify against client. Cotter argued that client may not have been a good father, but that the evidence was severely lacking to convict him of any crime. The jury agreed.
Drug Sale/Drug Possession Cases
State v. Defendant (Hennepin County, 2010)
Charges of 5th Degree Possession of Drugs DISMISSED by the Prosecutor
Outcome: Attorney Cotter brought a motion to dismiss charges because client’s brother was the person who possessed the drugs in question. After client’s brother took responsibility in front of the judge the prosecutor DIMISSED all charges against client.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2009)
Charges of 5th Degree Possession of Drugs DISMISSED by Judge
Outcome: A Dakota County judge DIMISSED the charges against client based upon attorney Cotter’s motion that the complaint lacked probable cause that she possessed paraphernalia found in a room she no longer lived in.
In the Matter of the welfare of: Juvenile Defendant (Hennepin County, 2008)
Possession of Marijuana in a Motor Vehicle charges DISMISSED by State if client remains law abiding with no same or similar arrests
Outcome: After motions to dismiss were filed by attorney Cotter, the Prosecution agreed to DIMISS the charge if client had no same or similar offense within one year.
State v. Defendant (Ramsey County, 2005)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 2nd Degree Drug Possession and Weapons Charge
Outcome: After a full trial to a Ramsey County judge, attorney Cotter’s client was found NOT GUILTY of possessing drugs and of possessing a firearm. She was eventually able to get her newborn child back in her custody in a separate proceeding.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Client found NOT Guilty of 5th Degree Drug Possession by Judge
Outcome: After trial before a judge, client was found NOT GUILTY. Attorney Cotter brought in the true possessor of the drugs from prison to testify at the trial.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 3rd and 5th Degree Drug Possession by Jury
Outcome: Attorney Cotter successfully argued that the State had failed to prove his client possessed drugs found in his own house, resulting in a NOT GUILTY verdict.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2007)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 3rd and 5th Degree Drug Possession by Jury
Outcome: Attorney Cotter successfully argued that his client was merely an innocent bystander and that the Prosecutor’s primary witness lied.
Burglary/Theft Crime Cases
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2006)
Charges of Aggravated Forgery DISMISSED during jury trial
Outcome: The prosecutor realized his case did not have substantial evidence during the middle of a jury trial and DISMISSED all charges against client.
State v. Defendant (Dakota County, 2007)
Client found NOT GUILTY of 1st and 2nd Degree Burglary
Outcome: Attorney client argued that the eyewitness identification was not reliable evidence through skilled cross-examination of the witness. The jury found client NOT GUILTY of all charges.
Get representation from an experienced attorney
Call my office at 612-436-3050 or my cell at 651-214-8624 for your free and comprehensive consultation. You can also request information online. I have law offices in Minneapolis and Dakota County, but I will travel to a location convenient for you.