Tax Fraud: Eau Claire Jury Selected - Kolve - Van Wagner Defending

Tax Fraud & Evasion Charges - Duane Kolve - Charity Case

The name "Duane Kolve" may ring a bell. He was the topic of a special report on Good Morning America regarding charity scams, the subject of an extensive investigation into charity campaigns for the Sheriff's Association, and the defendant named in multiples of racketeering charges under the RICO Act brought by prosecuting attorney Richard G. White, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

And now, Duane Kolve will be tried for multiples of tax crimes - tax evasion and tax fraud. Again, prosecuting attorney Richard G. White is prosecuting the case for Eau Claire county, but this time, Kolve brought in the big guns for his tax defense - none other than Madison Wisconsin criminal defense lawyer Christopher T. Van Wagner.

The jury was selected today. The trial is expected to run 3-5 days. The charges are listed below. Eau Claire County Circuit Court Judge Lisa Stark is on the bench. Judge Lisa Stark is the first woman judge to ever take the bench in an Eau Claire County Circuit Court.

1
71.83(2)(a)1
Fail/File Income Tax Return
Misd. U
2
71.83(2)(b)1
Fraud/Rendering Income Tax Return
Felony H
3
71.83(2)(b)1
Fraud/Rendering Income Tax Return
Felony H

Murder: Wisconsin -vs- Mark Jensen [Prosecutor Wins]

Guilty in Criminal Trial
Prosecutor Jambois
Prevails

Case Name: State of Wisconsin -vs- Mark Jensen
Court: Walworth County Circuit Court
City, State: Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Date: 21 February 2008
Judge: Bruce E. Schroeder
Prosecuting Attorney: Jambois, Robert J
Defense Attorney: Craig W. Albee
Defendant: Mark D. Jensen
Charge: First Degree Intentional Homicide
Verdict: Guilty, Jury Trial

About Prosecuting Attorney
Robert J Jambois

About Defense Attorney Craig W. Albee
Craig W. Albee, Attorney at Law
Member at Glynn, Fitzgerald & Albee, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin State Bar, 1990
U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin, 1991
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1991
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1993
U.S. Supreme Court, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 2006
Education:
University of Wisconsin (B.A., 1985; J.D., cum laude, 1990).

Refusal: Wisconsin -vs- David Gullickson [Attorney Wood Wins]

Verdict Reversed On Appeal
Defense Attorney Wood Prevails

Case Name: State of Wisconsin -vs- David Gullickson
Court: Wisconsin State Court of Appeals
City, State: Madison, Wisconsin
Date: 14 February 2008
Conviction: Implied Consent Violation
Verdict: Reversed (Not Guilty)
Appellate Attorney: Wood, Tracey A
Firm: Van Wagner & Wood, S.C.

About Attorney Tracey Wood
Attorney Tracey Wood teaches and lectures at state and national trial skills and defense strategies seminars for lawyers focused on helping people accused (or convicted) of a drunk driving offense. Tracey Wood is Wisconsin's only member ever appointed to the National College for DUI Defense Board of Regents and current Vice Present of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Wood earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She also highlights important facts about Wisconsin's OWI laws in her BLOG.

Circuit Court Proceedings
Court: Dane County Circuit Court
Judge: Ebert, Steven D
Defendant: Gullickson, David N
Charge: Violation of Implied Consent Law
Prosecuting Attorney: Humphrey, Paul W
Defense Attorney: Craft, Jacob G (currently suspended)
Defense Attorney: Stangl, Patrick J
Verdict: Guilty

Murder: Michigan -v- Thomas Richardson Trial - Judge William Carmody

MUNISING MICHIGAN. February 13, 2008. Thomas Richardson, charged with murder and manslaughter of his wife, Juanita, 40, after she was allegedly pushed off of the cliff's of Miner's Castle (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore), was back in the Alger County Court today while prosecuting attorney Karen Bahrman and defense attorney Karl Numinen argued a pre-trial motion for rebuttal witnesses.

Prosecuting attorney Bahrman said that her witness list was long ago finalized, and it would prove that Thomas Richardson's multiple accounts of his wife's fall were not due to a TBI - a previous brain injury he sustained years ago.

Conversely, defense attorney Karl Numinen argued that the defense had a right to call witnesses in rebuttal to the prosecutions assertions at trial.

The Honorable Judge William B. Carmody ruled in favor of a fair trial, stating, "“These parties will be rebuttal witnesses only for the exact purposes that they would be allowed."

TV-6 Full Story

Battery: Wisconsin -vs- FSB [Attorney Chirafisi Wins]

VERDICT
Not Guilty in Criminal Trial
Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi Prevails

Case Name: State of Wisconsin -vs- FBC
Court: Dane County Circuit Court
City, State: Madison, Wisconsin
Date: 17 January 2008
Defense Attorney: Corey Chirafisi
Defendant: FBC
Charge: Felony Battery
Verdict: Not Guilty, Jury Trial

Attorney Corey Chirafisi's client was charged with felony battery. Chirafisi won a not guilty verdict at trial.

About Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi
Corey Chirafisi, Attorney at Law was named to Super Lawyers in 2007. He is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National College for DUI Defense.

Firm: Chirafisi Law Office SC, Madison Wisconsin
Admitted Wisconsin State Bar, 1998
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Education:
Central University of New York, New York

Sexual Assault: Wisconsin -vs- Robert G. Sutter [Van Wagner Wins]

Not Guilty in Criminal Trial
Defense Attorney Van Wagner Prevails

Case Name: State of Wisconsin -vs- Robert G. Sutter
Charge: Second Degree Sexual Assault, Repeated Acts Sexual Assault Same Child
Court: Dane County Circuit Court
City, State: Madison, Wisconsin
Judge: Ebert, Steven D.
Date: 6 September 2007

Defense Attorney: Van Wagner, Christopher T.
Firm: Van Wagner & Wood, S.C.
Prosecuting Attorney: Karst, Mary Ellen
Verdict: Not Guilty, Jury Trial

About Defense Attorney Christopher T. Van Wagner

Attorney Christopher T. Van Wagner is a partner at Van Wagner & Wood, S.C., Madison, Wisconsin. Previously, Attorney Van Wagner served as a federal prosecutor (Madison, Wisconsin), a state prosecutor (Trenton, New Jersey), and a private criminal defense attorney with the firm Mayers Brown (Chicago, Illinois). Chris Van Wagner earned his law degree at Cornell University Law School (Law Review Editor) in 1981.

About Prosecuting Attorney
Baxter, Tim

Circuit Court Proceedings

1
948.025(1)(a)
Repeated 1st Deg. Sex.Assault-Same Child
Felony B
Found Not Guilty at Jury Trial
2
948.025(1)
Repeated Sexual Assault of Same Child
Felony B
Found Not Guilty at Jury Trial
3
948.025(1)(b)
Repeated Sexual Assault of Same Child (fewer than 3 Violations of 1st Degree Sexual Assault)
Felony C
Dismissed on Prosecutor's Motion

Murder: Venue Trial Moved Alger to Manistique County - Judge Charles Stark

Munising, Michigan. Jul 18, 2007. Honorable Charles Stark, Chief Judge, Alger County District Court, ordered a change of venue in the murder and manslaughter trial of Thomas David Richardson of McBain.

Richardson is accused of pushing his wife, Juanita Richardson, 43, off of a 140-foot cliff on June 22, 2006 in the federal park now operated by the Department of Interior, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park, which is more commonly known as "Miner's Castle" by the locals.

The Honorable Judge Stark ordered the change of venue as any judge would for a case that had been heavily publicized, particularly in a small community with a small jury pool. He also mentioned the inability of the Alger County Courthouse to handle the case and the television crews.

In addition to the court's stated concerns, there are other issues that Judge Stark probably considered, such as the financial burden of such a case on the local Munising community and the possible future financial burden after the verdict.