December 01, 2011

• Steven Topazio wrote this April 27, 2014 at 1:51 pm

The client, a 37 year old scientist with no prior criminal history, received a citation with both criminal and civil violations when he passed a line of cars in route to a job interview, hired Attorney Topazio to represent him. Attorney Topazio obtained his client’s Curriculum Vitae and registry documentation in anticipation of the court hearing. Attorney Topazio discovered that his client failed to obtain a Massachusetts license when he moved here from Colorado during the beginning of the year after accepting employment with Pfizer, Inc. Despite accepting employment and relocating to Massachusetts, Pfizer unfortunately laid off the client due to the sluggish economy. The client, who became trapped in Massachusetts with his family in search of employment, did not consider himself a permanent resident of Massachusetts which requires that every resident must apply for a driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency. The client believed his valid Colorado driver’s license was sufficient in Massachusetts since he was seeking employment in several states when he received the criminal citation. At the Magistrate’s hearing, Attorney Topazio established that his client applied for and received his Massachusetts driver’s license and had his car inspected the day after receipt of the citation. Attorney Topazio was successful in convincing the Magistrate to dismiss the criminal violation of unlicensed operation and civil violation of inspection violation, thus preserving his client’s clean criminal record or CORI. The Magistrate only assessed the client $100.00 for the civil violation of unsafe passing.