- DivorceAlso, to all my former employees who reached out and gave us aid in rebuilding, thank you! Thomas, you and Cindy rebuilt our juvenile practice; and I cannot adequately express my gratitude. I also must thank Andy McLain of McLain Legal Services. Our ability to help families was quickly restored because of Andy’s generous help. If you ever need a divorce/family law attorney, there is no doubt that Andy McLain is one the elite divorce and family law attorneys in Oregon. Also, Jennelle Johnson helped us restore our criminal defense capabilities - thank you also for our new Wookie Award (side note: we have always had prizes in the office for wining trials and Jennelle gave us a new one to keep the tradition alive)!
- Child SupportSometimes the district attorney, the attorney general or a custodial parent will prosecute a person for failing to pay a child support obligation. Although a tremendous number of issues can be involved in these cases, there are some common questions we will ask when we represent a person being prosecuted for not paying child support. When you come to speak with us about your situation, some of the questions we ask you will usually include the following...
- Child Custody and VisitationSince 1996, Ron Ridehalgh has been defending people and families. In early 1997, Mr. Ridehalgh began doing so in Washington County Oregon. We are now a nine attorney law firm specializing in Adult Criminal Defense and Juvenile Court Defense. Today we are leading providers in Washington County for the defense of DUII cases, Domestic Violence cases and Juvenile Law cases. Should you be dealing with a first time DUII or Domestic Violence case, Ron Ridehalgh is the 'Advisory Counsel' and 'Deferred Sentencing Counsel' the court references. Should you have a 'Shelter Care Hearing' in juvenile court, we are one of the main firms contacted by the court to represent parents and children. Necessarily, our office also helps people with family law litigation (divorce/child custody/support).
- Child AbuseRon Ridehalgh became an attorney in 1996 and has practiced criminal defense and juvenile dependency (child abuse and neglect) ever since. Today, he is the primary defense attorney for the Washington County Domestic Violence Deferred Sentencing Program and as the Washington County DUII Advisory Counsel for people eligible for the DUII Diversion Program.
- Criminal DefenseOur firm has been handling criminal defense matters since the inception of our firm. We certainly understand that convictions, and even arrests that do not result in a conviction, can negatively impact a person’s life. Innumerable people have lost job opportunities, lost housing opportunities, even lost scholarships due to such blemishes in a person’s history. Setting aside (the Oregon process most people call ‘expungement’) exists to allow people to restore their criminal history to a better time.
- DUI/DWI
- Traffic ViolationsI am eligible for diversion, but I also am charged with Reckless Driving, can I also divert the Reckless Driving Charge? In Washington County, yes. The court can agree to also divert the Reckless Driving charge (assuming you meet the eligibility requirements). The Reckless Driving agreement will require that you (1) graduate from the DUII Diversion Program, (2) commit no other crimes, (3) not drive unless properly licensed and insured, (4) pay any restitution that might be ordered by the court, and (5) pay an additional $400 to the court.
- Sex CrimesCongratulations to Tyler Beach on a Rape, Sex Abuse, Felony Assault, and Strangulation Trial Win! — Ridehalgh & Associates, LLC Attorneys
- RobberyMr. Beach’s client was accused of Robbery 2. If convicted, Oregon law requires 70 months of prison. The accusation was that while he was stealing from a store that he threatened to stab the store clerk who confronted him. At trial, Mr. Beach proved that his client’s actual words were “I’ve stabbed other people for less.” But, he then just walked out of the store. Although that may be a threat, it didn’t meet the criteria to qualify under Oregon law as Robbery 2. Accordingly, Mr. Beach won his motion to dismiss the case upon the close of the prosecutor’s evidence!
- BurglaryMr. Beach’s client had committed some crimes. That was not in dispute. However, those crimes carry probation as the expected consequence for a conviction. The prosecutor filed those charges against Mr. Beach’s client, but also filed a charge of Burglary 1. This additional charge carried prison time if it resulted in a conviction. Mr. Beach made a plea offer to the prosecutor that involved dismissing the Burglary and placing his client on probation. The prosecutor insisted that Mr. Beach’s client be convicted of the Burglary and go to prison. So, Mr. Beach went to trial. The prosecutor argued at trial that Mr. Beach’s client committed Burglary by entering a property he should not have entered (trespass) while already holding stolen property – so, he committed the crime of Burglary (entering a place intending to steal) by entering while already having what he had already stolen. Accordingly, the judge ruled that Mr. Beach was correct that no Burglary occurred – thus a Not Guilty ruling – and found him guilty of the crimes he had actually committed and placed Mr. Beach’s client on probation.
- Theft
- MisdemeanorsMost misdemeanors and lesser felonies (class ‘C’ felonies) can be ‘set aside’ after three years from the date of conviction (there can be circumstances that extend this to ten years). Also, convictions for various marijunana possession, distribution, and delivery crimes can sometimes also be set aside after only one year from the date of conviction. Generally, arrests that did not result in prosecution (meaning no charge was filed in court by the prosecutor) can be set aside after one year. If an arrest did result in a prosecution, but you were found not guilty, or the case was dismissed, there is usually no wait required to have that record set aside. Even, some class ‘B’ felonies can also be set aside; but, class ‘B’ felonies must wait twenty years from the date of conviction.
- Drug CrimesMr. Metcalf’s client was accused of four counts of Burglary 1, Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, Multiple Commercial Drug Offenses for both Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, Theft of Services, and More. Essentially, if convicted of everything, Mr. Metcalf’s client was looking at a lot of prison time. At trial, it was established that Mr. Metcalf’s client had been living in a dead man’s house and driving that dead man’s car. Also, the neighbors accused him of various criminal shenanigans; and when arrested, the police found what appeared to be drugs in the house. At the start of the trial, Mr. Metchalf knocked out all the drug charges because the prosecutor had failed to bring the correct witness to establish that the stuff found in the house were in fact drugs. Then, Mr. Metcalf proved that his client was actually renting space in the house to sleep from the actual squatter in the dead man’s house. For every allegation, Mr. Metcalf systematically dismantled the prosecutor’s theory that Mr. Metcalf’s client was behind it all. At the end, the Jury returned the verdict of Not Guilty!
- Assault
- MurderMost importantly, that fire also killed one man who was in the building at the time. The arsonist has been arrested and is currently being prosecuted for Murder, Arson, as well as other associated charges for all the damage he caused.
- Juvenile CrimesIf you have been accused of a crime or DHS is involved with your children, you may be feeling alone and overwhelmed. To proceed with confidence, you need an experience criminal law and juvenile law defense attorney. Our office believes that justice requires an aggressive defense. Plans for that defense must begin promptly upon an accusation. Our mission is to provide aggressive strategy based defenses to allegations and to advise our clients on how to best and most quickly achieve their goals all while ensuring that the legal system treats our clients with the dignity that every member of our society deserves.
- Probation ViolationA very common question we receive from people on probation or otherwise under court supervision is whether a polygraph exam’s results in admissible in court. The short answer is that it can sometimes be admitted in court. The basic rule in Oregon is that a polygraph may not be used in court for any court hearing that is subject to the Oregon Evidence Code – even if all the parties to the case ask together to have the evidence introduced. However, not all court hearings are subject to the Oregon Evidence Code. Most probation violation and prison disciplinary proceedings will allow polygraph results to be introduced. Also, special court programs such as the Washington County Domestic Violence Deferred Sentencing Program will require a polygraph exam as part of the court process. However, when introduced, they are not to be relied upon as the sole basis for any conclusion but rather as corroborating evidence.
- Identity TheftA preliminary hearing is a first step a prosecutor must accomplish at the start of a felony criminal prosecution. It is usually rather routine and straightforward. The prosecutor does not have to prove that a defendant is guilty. Basically, the prosecutor must prove that a crime probably happened, and that the defendant was probably the one to commit the crime. In this case, Ms. Cin’s client was accused of two counts of Identity Theft. Each count carried up to five years of prison. At the hearing, Ms. Cin showed that although her client had other people’s identification cards, there was no reason to think that her client had any intention to use those IDs to deceive or defraud anyone. Accordingly, the case was dismissed!
- Arson
- Restraining OrderThe Family Abuse Protection Act is Oregon’s standard restraining order law. If a person violates that restraining order, that person faces up to six months of jail for each violation. Mr. Walsh’s client was accused of violating such an order. Specifically, he was accused of violating the order by sending a message by Facebook messenger. However, the terms of the restraining order allowed Mr. Walsh’s client to send and receive communications through email and text messages. The prosecutor felt that since Mr. Walsh’s client used a service that was not technically an email nor a text message, that he should face six months of jail. At the hearing Mr. Walsh argued that there was no material difference between using Facebook messenger and using any email service. Mr. Walsh prevailed, and his client was acquitted of the allegation.