June 06, 2009

• Steven Topazio wrote this April 27, 2014 at 4:00 am

The defendant, a High School Senior, was suspended for fighting with a fellow classmate, then criminally charged for allegedly harassing and threatening that classmate and another while at a school sponsored sporting event. As a condition of release, the client was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims, a difficult task since all parties attended the same High School. The defendant hired Attorney Topazio. Attorney Topazio met with his client and contacted school officials to see if they would be willing to mediate the situation if the parties consented. After speaking with Director of Student Affairs and then meeting with the Principal of the High School, Attorney Topazio filed a motion with the court amending his client’s conditions of release to allow supervised contact with the complainants only in a structured setting of the High School and in the presence of each party’s parents and High School Officials. Attorney Topazio arranged for his client and his client’s parents along with the complainants and their parents to engage in a voluntary mediation with the Principal and Director of Student Affairs from the High School. Mediation was a success as all parties were in agreement in resolving the situation. Today, Attorney Topazio with the consent of the District Attorney caused his client’s case to be dismissed