Category: CIVIL MATTERS

Sheriff Unlawfully Seizes Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars of Property [Choctaw County, OK]

Posted by lawoffice on January 15, 2017

Civil Litigation: Sheriff Unlawfully Seizes Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars of Property
Case: Mike Pierce v. Terry Parks, Sheriff of Choctaw County, OK [CJ-15-55][Choctaw County]
Result: Sheriff Forced to Return All Property and Pay Damages

Summary: According to the Choctaw County Sheriff [the “CCSO”] and Oklahoma’s Alcoholic Beverage License Enforcement [“ABLE”], their agents had probable cause for the warrants they executed on Mr. Pierce’s home and his two SE OK businesses. A very successful self-made businessman, Mr. Pierce had hundreds of thousands of dollars of property seized by these agents via these warrants, including rare coins and precious metals.

Mr. Pierce hired Haslam to get his property back and defend what the CCSO promised would be a raft of serious felony charges. Mr. Pierce reasonably feared some of the thousands of rare coins would be “lost” while in the CCSO property room. The CCSO claimed it had turned the case over to the FBI and federal prosecutors to explain the lengthy delay in bringing charges.

Haslam filed a replevin motion in Choctaw County District Court to force the authorities to either bring charges or return the property. Rather than defend Haslam’s motion, the CCSO agreed to hand-deliver all the property back to Mr. Pierce and pay damages for his losses.

Worker’s Comp and Personal Injury Claims by Truck Driver [Pittsburg County, OK]

Posted by lawoffice on August 8, 2015

Case: In re Harold Chamberlin
Court: [Pittsburg County][CJ-10-191]
Result: $535,000 Settlement in PI Claim Plus Worker’s Compensation Damages

Summary:

Mr. Chamberlin was seriously injured while driving his employer’s truck on the job. He was not at fault. A truck owned by another trucking company hit him.

We initially sued on his behalf to collect a workers’ compensation claim against his own employer and succeeded in getting him medical treatment and compensation for a permanent disability.

In the process of pursuing his workers’ comp relief, we learned the at-fault trucking company was carrying an insurance policy for such accidents. We sued that company to collect a personal injury judgment against it, as well. Days before trial, the trucking company settled for “policy limits”. The company paid Harold a $535,000 settlement as compensation for its negligence that caused his substantial injury.

Wrongful Repo of Auto [Tulsa]

Posted by lawoffice on August 8, 2006

Civil Issue: Wrongful Repossession of Auto
Result: Five-figure Settlement

Wrongful Repossession of Auto

Summary:

In this case, the identity of the parties and the settlement amount cannot be disclosed under the settlement agreement. The auto owners refinanced their auto and the original finance company was paid in full. Apparently, the spiteful original finance company resented their loan being shopped around so they repo’d the car AFTER THEY WERE PAID OFF and refused to return it unless the owners agreed to waive all claims against it.

Haslam entered the case and demanded the return of the car and inspection for damages at the finance company’s expense. The car was returned and determined to be undamaged. The owners were without the car for 12 days.

Haslam still settled the case for well into five figures.