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Case Results
| Court Name | Year | Case | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euclid Municipal Court | 2026 | Client was charged with domestic violence for allegedly striking a woman in front of their child. | The client was accused of striking a woman in the presence of a child. Investigation revealed the client had no relationship with the accuser and had never been to the address where the incident was alleged to have occurred. Once those facts were presented, the State dismissed the case in full. |
| Stow Municipal Court | 2026 | Client charged with M1 aggravated menacing for allegedly flashing a gun while in an argument. | Investigation showed that the client was not a registered owner, does not and has never owned a gun, and the alleged victim had been seriously harassing the client’s friend. The allegations of threats and a firearm were false. Charges were reduced to a minor misdemeanor disorderly conduct. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2026 | Client was charged with domestic violence after an argument with his intoxicated wife. | Investigation showed that the argument did not rise to the level of such violence, and both client and his wife were shown to be of great moral character. Case dismissed. |
| Mentor Municipal Court | 2026 | Client was charged with dog at large after his young daughter made a mistake while letting her out. It’s a small case, but still something we handle at Fortress Law Group. | After gathering and presenting mitigating circumstances as well as the character of the client, the prosecutor and judge agreed to dismiss and expunge the case. |
| Parma Municipal Court | 2026 | Client was accused of OVI after driving over the center line. He’s 74 years old with 2 knee replacements, but the officer made him walk the line and stand on one foot. SFSTs are only valid for subjects 65 and under. Understandably, he was shaky. The officer said his voice was slurred; Client had had a stroke 10 years ago and that’s just he way he talks. He blew under the legal limit. | Charged reduced to reckless operation, with a small fine & court costs only. No probation, no license suspension, no jail, no driver intervention program. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2026 | Client charged with Aggravated Menacing, accused of threatening someone with a gun | Case dismissed at the State’s expense. |
| Summit County Court of Common Pleas | 2026 | Client accused of stabbing his ex-wife and nephew, charged with multiple counts of Felonious Assault | Client found not guilty on all counts after jury trial. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2025 | Client charged with first-degree felony Rape. Client consistently and adamantly denied all allegations | Jury trial resulted in a hung jury, leading to a risk-mitigating plea agreement to a misdemeanor and probation. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2025 | Client charged with disorderly conduct/intoxication | Case dismissed. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2025 | Client charged with domestic violence | Case dismissed after pretrial investigation showed that the evidence and the claims were not credible. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2025 | Client charged with driving while under the influence of drugs | Case dismissed after pretrial investigation uncovered a blood test showing negative results for all substances. |
| Lakewood Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with trespass after being accused of shoplifting and asked to leave | Pre-trial investigation determined that Client was in another location at the time and place of the alleged shoplifting. Case dismissed. |
| Cleveland Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with reckless operation and high speed | Case dismissed. |
| Medina Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with OVI and a felony for having a firearm in the vehicle while driving intoxicated. | Client found not guilty of all OVI charges after a Jury Trial; Felony case dismissed. |
| Cleveland Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with Domestic Violence | Case dismissed before trial. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with Failure to Control and being at fault for car accident. | Accident investigation proved the other driver was at fault; Case dismissed. |
| Cleveland Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with Child Endangering | Case dismissed by the prosecutor the day before we were prepared to go to trial. |
| Norwalk Municipal Court | 2024 | Client charged with OVI | Case reduced to reckless operation, no probation, no license suspension. |
| Ashland Municipal Court | 2023 | Client accused of probation violation for positive marijuana test despite no use for several months. | Scientific research presented to the court regarding the effects of extreme rapid weight loss on marijuana testing resulted in dismissal of the violation. |
| Cleveland Municipal Court | 2023 | Client accused of domestic violence against a child | Case dismissed. |
| Geauga County Juvenile Court | 2023 | Client charged with OVI, Underage Consumption, and Failure to Control for car crash with juvenile passengers while intoxicated | Case resolved with $50 fine, no probation, no jail, license suspension with privileges. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2023 | Client charged with Felony Domestic Violence | Case dismissed. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2023 | Client charged with Theft of cash from employer | Case dismissed. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2023 | Client charged with Aggravated Menacing with a firearm | Case dismissed. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2022 | Client charged with Assault | Case dismissed. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2021 | Client charged with OVI | Case dismissed. |
| Parma Municipal Court | 2021 | Client charged with domestic violence | Case dismissed by judge in the middle of trial, client Not Guilty. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2021 | Client charged with aggravated menacing, falsely accused of threatening another driver with a gun. | After the investigation into the credibility of the complaining witness, case dismissed at the government’s expense. |
| Mentor Municipal Court | 2021 | Client accused of domestic violence against 13 year old son. | After legal research and briefing presented to the court and the prosecutor proving that proper and reasonable parental discipline is legal and lawful, case dismissed at the government’s expense. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2020 | Client accused of third-degree felony domestic violence with prior record of domestic violence. | Case reduced to fourth-degree misdemeanor disorderly conduct. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2020 | Client accused of firing a gun at another car. | Case dismissed the morning of jury trial. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2020 | Client wrongly cited for traffic accident. | Case dismissed. |
| Medina County Court of Common Pleas | 2020 | Client charged with 2 counts felony drug possession. | Case reduced to a single misdemeanor with no probation and no fine. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2020 | Client charged with theft at Walmart self check-out. | Case dismissed. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2019 | Client charged with 2nd OVI in less than a year, 3rd in 10 years. | First 2019 case reduced to Physical Control, second case dismissed. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2019 | Client falsely accused twice in one year of stalking by vindictive ex. | First case dismissed after trial, second case dismissed before trial. |
| Stow Municipal Court | 2019 | Client charged with OVI after wrong-way driving despite breath test under legal limit. | OVI reduced to reckless operation. |
| Mentor Municipal Court | 2019 | Client charged with theft. | Case dismissed and record sealed. |
| Lyndhurst Municipal Court | 2018 | Client ticketed for traveling 98mph in a 60mph zone. | Citation reduced to zero-point non-moving violation. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2018 | Client charged with Aggravated Murders from 2015, 2016 and two from 2017. | Client found Not Guilty after jury trial on 2015 and 2016 murders, hung jury on the 2017 cases. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2018 | Client charged with Rape of two young children. | After extensive investigation, all charges dismissed the morning of trial. |
| Ashtabula Eastern County Court (Geneva) | 2018 | Client charged with OVI and ALS for refusal to blow. | Case reduced to tail light violation, Administrative License Suspension dismissed. |
| Rocky River Municipal Court | 2017 | Client charged with marijuana OVI, confirmed with urine test, court “unofficial” policy of non-reduction. | Charge reduced to Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2017 | “Shaken baby” case: Client charged with third-degree felony child endangering. | Charge reduced to misdemeanor, Client sentenced to Community Control. As of 2018, client has won back full custody of his children. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2017 | Client charged with assault of a child. | Case dismissed, Client’s record sealed. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2017 | Client charged with, among other things, rape of a small child. Statutory penalty: life in prison without any possibility of parole. | Trial by Jury; Client acquitted on the charge of Rape. |
| 8th District Court of Appeals, Cuyahoga County | 2017 | Appeal of three-year sentence for probation violations. | Sentence overturned on appeal. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2017 | Client charged with marijuana OVI, second offense in less than 3 years. | Charge reduced to Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2017 | Client charged with OVI, second offense in less than 3 years. | Charge reduced to Physical Control. |
| Mentor Municipal Court | 2016 | Client on immigration visa charged with theft. | Case dismissed. |
| 11th District Court of Appeals | 2016 | Client received consecutive sentences. | Sentence vacated, case remanded for resentencing. |
| Euclid Municipal Court | 2016 | Client charged with Driving Under Suspension and Possession of Marijuana. | Driving Under Suspension dismissed, Drug Possession reduced to Disorderly Conduct. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2016 | Client charged with violating restraining order. | Case dismissed at State’s expense. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2016 | Client charged with Murder, steadfastly maintained innocence for years. | Client released on lesser charge with a sentence of time served and no admission of guilt due to plea by way of North Carolina v. Alford. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2015 | Client charged with Theft for shoplifting. | Charges found Not True at trial. |
| Ashtabula Eastern Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with 2nd OVI in 3 years and Resisting Arrest. | OVI reduced to non-moving violation; Resisting Arrest dismissed. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with felony Breaking and Entering. | Charge reduced to misdemeanor, dismissed on payment of costs, case immediately expunged. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with Domestic Violence. | Case dismissed. |
| Stow Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with OVI in a court with a policy of not reducing OVIs. | Charge reduced to non-moving violation. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with Cruelty to Animals. | Case dismissed at State’s expense. |
| Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court | 2015 | Client charged with Arson. | Case dismissed day of trial due to defense’s pretrial investigation. |
| Lakewood Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with Domestic Violence. | Case dismissed. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with Drug Possession. | Case dismissed. |
| 8th District Court of Appeals | 2015 | Client sentenced to consecutive 3-year prison terms. | Sentence vacated, case remanded for resentencing. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2015 | Client charged with Intimidating a Witness. | Client found Not Guilty after jury trial. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2015 | Client charged with felony domestic violence. | Charge reduced to disorderly conduct. |
| Painesville Municipal Court | 2014 | CDL licensed driver of semi-trailer cited for Failure to Control after single-vehicle accident. | Case dismissed on plea of No Contest. |
| Chardon Municipal Court | 2014 | Client charged with 2 counts of Burglary, felonies of the 3rd degree. | Charges dismissed. |
| Mentor Municipal Court | 2014 | Client charged with Domestic Violence. | Charges dismissed. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2014 | Juvenile client charged with Theft for allegedly shoplifting. | Charges found Not True at trial. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2013 | Appeal for a client who had been convicted of 2 counts of Aggravated Murder, 6 counts of Murder, and 6 other related counts and sentenced to Life without the possibility of parole. | Conviction reversed on appeal. |
| Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court | 2013 | Client charged with Robbery, a Second-Degree Felony. | Case dismissed by judge. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2012 | Charged of Falsification | Case dismissed on payment of court costs |
| Middleburg Heights Mayor’s Court | 2012 | Charges of Failure to Control, Seat Belt Violation | Client found Not Guilty after plea of No Contest. |
| Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas | 2012 | Charges of Trafficking in Drugs, Possession of Drugs, Criminal Tools | All charges dismissed. |
| Lake County Court of Common Pleas | 2012 | Appeal of sentence on multiple charges including 2 counts of Burglary and 2 counts of Theft | Case remanded for resentencing. |
| Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas | 2012 | Civil complaint for multiple sexual assaults | Obtained $1,000,000.00 default judgment. |
| Lorain County Court of Common Pleas | 2012 | Appeal of label as a “sexual predator” | Client reclassified, no longer labeled a sexual predator. |
| Lake County Juvenile Court | 2012 | Child Protective Services complaint alleging an Abused and Dependent Child | Complaint found Not True on both counts at trial. |
| Willoughby Municipal Court | 2011 | Charged of OVI, Second offense in less than 1 year | Charge reduced to Physical Control. |
| Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court | 2010 | Client charged with Robbery | Client found Not Guilty after bench trial. |
Meet Your Attorney
Founder, Fortress Law Group, LLC
Matthew draws on his unique background as a former Assistant Prosecutor and his scientific expertise in molecular genetics to bring unparalleled precision and strategy to criminal defense in Northeast Ohio. Whether you’re facing misdemeanor charges, serious felony indictments, or federal prosecution, he builds defense strategies rooted in forensic evidence analysis, cutting-edge legal theory, and an unwavering commitment to protecting your constitutional rights and positioning you for the strongest outcome in court.
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