Mr. Ridehalgh’s client was in the domestic violence deferred sentencing program. This is a program where if a client completes an agreement with the court, the criminal charge against the person is dismissed. However, should a person violate the agreement, the person can then be convicted of the crime. Mr. Ridehalgh’s client was accused of having contact with the victim of the underlying charge without the court’s permission, engaging in ‘offensive’ contact with another person in a road rage incident, and drinking alcohol (alcohol consumption was prohibited pursuant to the agreement with the court).
At the hearing, Mr. Ridehalgh proved, through cross examination of the victim and the supervising officer, that the contact with the victim had only been through the court approved means; through his client’s testimony, that Mr. Ridehalgh’s client was the actual victim of the road rage incident; and through a witness Mr. Ridehalgh obtained, that the alcohol consumption with a mere sip when his client believed that it was a non-alcoholic drink. Accordingly, no violation of the agreement was found by the court and Mr. Ridehalgh’s client can move forward to get the case ultimately dismissed.