College Student Successes

I am George F. Hildebrandt, Attorney at Law, and I have a proven record of successfully defending college students against serious criminal charges. Every case is unique, but following are just a few examples of cases I have handled involving students:

• My client, a college student, was charged with burglary for breaking into another student’s apartment and taking a laptop. If convicted, the offense would have resulted in a minimum of 3 1/2 years in state prison and the client having a violent felony conviction on his record for the rest of his life. Through thorough investigation and analysis of the issues facing the prosecution, I convinced the prosecutor to agree to dismiss the charges with the condition that the client perform 25 hours of community service.
• My client was a college student who was preparing for a semester abroad. He was in a friend’s apartment when the police entered. The police searched him and found marijuana. I convinced the court to issue an order resulting in the ultimate dismissal of the marijuana charge.
• My client was a university student charged with felony grand larceny for stealing property from another student. My early intervention, and quick assessment of the weaknesses in the case, resulted in the prosecution agreeing to a reduction of the charge to a misdemeanor at arraignment, and to dismissing the charges at the next court appearance. Despite the dismissal, the student received an in-school suspension from the university after a disciplinary hearing, which was upheld on his appeal. I did not forget about the case, however, and a month later discovered evidence substantiating the client’s innocence. I unilaterally collected and presented the evidence to university administrators, who agreed to remove the disciplinary finding from the student’s record and terminate the suspension.
• My client was a nursing student found in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. A conviction would have resulted in suspension of her federal student aid, and could have impaired her future education and job prospects. I made a motion to dismiss the case at arraignment based on legal deficiencies in the case, which the court granted, resulting in the charges being dismissed.
• My client was a university student charged with possessing a false identification. Although arrested for a misdemeanor offense, and potentially chargeable with a felony, I secured a reduction of the charge to a no-point traffic violation.
• My client was a university senior who was arrested after a disturbance with police. My client was interviewing with a number of national firms for a highly sought-after position. I asked to have his case expedited so he would not have to disclose at his interviews that he had charges pending. When we appeared in court, the judge granted my motion to dismiss the charge based on legal deficiencies over the prosecutor’s objection.
• My client was a high school student. He had a consensual sexual encounter with his girlfriend who, while only a grade behind, was too young to legally consent. I worked to develop a number of equities on my client’s behalf, and persuaded the prosecution to adjourn the case in contemplation of dismissal, resulting in dismissal of the charge and sealing of the records.

Proven Track Record Defending College Students Against Serious Allegations

If you are a college student in trouble with the law, or the parent or guardian of a student, please contact me, George F. Hildebrandt. I am a defense lawyer with 30 years of experience, and I can help. I am proud to serve Syracuse, New York, and the surrounding areas. Call 866-929-3285 to schedule an appointment.