Criminal and DUI Defense in Washington, D.C. | Koehler Law

Respondent in CPO case awarded attorney fees in D.C.

Jamison Koehler — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:58:09 +0000

A Koehler Law client was recently reimbursed for his attorney fees after prevailing as the respondent in a civil protection order (CPO) case in Washington, D.C. The court awarded fees after concluding that the petitioner had brought the case in bad faith, fabricated evidence, and committed perjury at trial. The “American Rule” for Attorney Fees Under the so-called “American Rule,” ...

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Acquittal after trial on CPWL and other firearm charges

Jamison Koehler — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 12:04:06 +0000

A D.C. jury recently acquitted a Koehler Law client of carrying a pistol without a license (CPWL) and other firearm offenses. According to the evidence presented at trial, our client found an abandoned firearm in an alley near the shopping mall where he worked. He picked it up intending to turn it over to the police. Before he could do ...

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“True Threats” and Stalking in Rokhvand v. Herzfeld

Jamison Koehler — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 18:47:38 +0000

The D.C. Court of Appeals recently clarified what constitutes a “true threat” for purposes of the District’s stalking statute. In Rokhvand v. Herzfeld, 2026 D.C. App. LEXIS 302 (D.C. Aug. 27, 2026), the court held that hostile or offensive political speech does not become a true threat merely because it causes fear or distress. What constitutes a criminal threat in D.C.? ...

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Why settle a civil protection or anti-stalking order case in D.C.?

Jamison Koehler — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:07:17 +0000

The petition for a civil protection order (CPO) against a Koehler Law client was dismissed recently after the parties reached an out-of-court settlement. Our client no longer faces the legal, social and other consequences posed by a court-enforceable civil protection order (CPO). And the petitioner received the assurances she needed to feel comfortable. WHAT IS A CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER IN D.C.? ...

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D.C. Court dismisses petition for anti-stalking order

Jamison Koehler — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:56:28 +0000

People seek anti-stalking orders (ASOs) in Washington, D.C. for many different reasons. Some petitions involve conduct that legitimately falls within the protections provided by the ASO statute. Others arise from interpersonal disputes that, while frustrating or upsetting, do not satisfy the statutory requirements for stalking. For example, a person may seek an anti-stalking order because of problems with a neighbor, ...

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Crowded dockets delay CPO and ASO hearings in D.C.

Jamison Koehler — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:00:45 +0000

Presiding over civil protection order (CPO) and anti-stalking order (ASO) cases is one of the most demanding assignments for D.C. Superior Court judges. Each morning, parties begin logging on at 8:30 a.m. The calendar typically includes 20 to 40 cases. Two judges—currently Judge McCabe in Courtroom 113 and Judge Truong in Courtroom 114—must move through that crowded docket while dealing ...

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Willful blindness in the reflecting pool cases

Jamison Koehler — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:21:48 +0000

At some point, there will be a reckoning. The reckoning may be a public one: Lawyers hauled before the D.C. bar to face potential disciplinary proceedings. It may also be a purely private reckoning. It may be looking into the mirror and asking oneself the question: Am I proud of how I acted during this time? ***** On June 20, ...

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Burglary, robbery and assault charges dismissed

Jamison Koehler — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:45:27 +0000

The government’s case was problematic from the outset. Ring cameras do not lie. Body-worn cameras do not lie. CCTV footage does not lie. Phone records do not lie. The physical evidence gathered by our investigator, Robert Kapler, overwhelmingly demonstrated that the complainant’s allegations were false. Every objective source of evidence contradicted her account. The Burglary Charge The complainant told police ...

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Should your CPO/ASO case “trail” your criminal matter?

Jamison Koehler — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:40:22 +0000

Domestic violence charges in criminal court are frequently accompanied by a petition for a civil protection order (CPO) or anti-stalking order (ASO). This is because one incident can lead to two separate cases – one criminal and the other civil. The target of misconduct allegations can be simultaneously the defendant in a criminal case and the respondent in a civil ...

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Hit-and-run charges dismissed in D.C.

Jamison Koehler — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:12:15 +0000

The government has dismissed charges against a Koehler Law client in a hit-and-run case. Our client was accused of leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury without calling police or providing identifying information. We were able to produce evidence that our client had in fact called 3-1-1, which is the non-emergency number for police. We also had an ...

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