Representative Cases
Trial Courts
- Client accused of making multiple false statements on a passport application. After trial, the jury found client not guilty on all counts.
- Client accused of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act by offering a whale vertebra for sale. Client found not guilty after trial.
- Client accused of illegally possessing a firearm. After the close of the government’s case, the judge dismissed the charges, finding that the government had not proven client’s guilt.
- Client, a physician, suspected of insurance fraud and overprescribing narcotics. After presenting evidence of client’s innocence to the government, the government declined to press charges.
- Client, a physician, suspected of Medicare fraud. After demonstrating that client did not commit fraud, the government ended its investigation without any charges.
- Client, the owner of a major environmental services provider, accused of tampering with diesel filters on the company’s truck fleet. Case dismissed after significant motions practice.
- Client suspected of possessing multiple kilograms of narcotics at an airport. After extensive negotiations, the government decided to not file charges.
- Client accused of illegally reentering the United States. Case dismissed upon a showing that client’s prior deportation was unlawful.
- Client, a successful hospitality consultant, accused of child endangerment. Case dismissed after presentation of recantation evidence.
- Client, a former Assemblyman, pleaded guilty to defrauding credit-card companies of $500,000. After an extensive sentencing presentation detailing client’s rise from poverty, public service, and demonstrated good works, the judge imposed a sentence of probation.
- Client, a former nigh-ranking, non-commissioned career Army officer, convicted of falsely claiming combat-related injuries and illegally receiving more than $100,000 in benefits. Probationary sentence imposed.
- Client, a mentally ill and homeless young man, convicted of setting a forest fire which resulted in the loss of numerous homes and millions of dollars in damages. After trial, despite the government’s insistence that client be sentenced to five years in prison, the judge imposed a sentence of probation and community service.
- Client convicted of possessing with the intent to distribute five kilograms of heroin. Probationary sentence imposed.
- Client, a manager of a food processing company, convicted of falsifying pathogen testing results. Probationary sentence imposed.
Appellate Courts
Successfully argued to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the district court erred in imposing client’s sentence stemming from healthcare fraud conviction. Reversed and remanded.
Authored an appellate brief that convinced the government to concede error and agree to remand for resentencing, and negotiated a time-served sentence at resentencing.
Obtained habeas corpus relief for a death-sentenced federal inmate; client subsequently resentenced to life imprisonment.
attorney profile
John Hanusz
A skilled, thoughtful advocate with more than 20 years’ experience.
