Attorney Stachowske recently won a case before the Supreme Court that established new law regarding international travel with a minor child, In the Matter of Cynthia Rix and Rajesh Jathar, No. 2010-074.
The Petitioner filed a petition with the Portsmouth Family Division to prevent the Respondent from traveling to India with the parties’ minor child. She argued that she was fearful the Respondent would not return. The Marital Master found that the Respondent presented no risk of flight, and denied the Petitioner’s Motion. The Petitioner appealed the issue to the Supreme Court arguing that because India was not a signatory to the Hague Convention, her fears of child abduction were credible.
The New Hampshire Supreme Court held that while a foreign country’s Hague Convention signatory status should be a significant factor for the trial court to consider, it cannot, standing alone, be determinative of whether it is in the best interests of a child to travel with a parent outside of the country. As a result of this decision, the Petitioner has been able to enjoy international travel with the minor child, to India where his extended family continues to reside.
The law firm of Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. is pleased to announce that Attorney Timothy P. Beaupre has been certified as a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Attorney Beaupre joins firm attorneys D. Michael Noonan and William Christie as members of this group.
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million dollar and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. There are approximately 4000 members. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Members must have acted as principal counsel in at least one case in which their client has received a verdict, award or settlement of at least one million dollars.
Attorney Beaupre is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School. He focuses his practice in the areas of workers’ compensation, social security disability and personal injury.
Attorney Bill Christie recently represented a client charged with Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault, Felonious Sexual Assault, Attempted Felonious Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault in the Grafton County Superior Court. After a four-day trial, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on all felony charges.
Through aggressive pre-trial motion practice, Attorney Christie limited the State’s evidence at trial by excluding expert testimony and evidence of other alleged acts by the defendant. Through cross-examination of the State’s witnesses, Attorney Christie established several significant inconsistencies in the complaining witness’ story. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on all felony charges.
This is the second Felony Sexual Assault trial of 2010 where Attorney Christie’s client was found not guilty of all felony charges, an outstanding reflection on Shaheen & Gordon’s Criminal Defense practice.