RaquinMercer filed a petition for a writ of error coram nobis in the circuit court, seeking to set aside a conviction that resulted from an unknowing and involuntary guilty plea. To satisfy a necessary condition for the issuance of the writ, petitioner alleged that they were facing significant collateral consequences because of the conviction. They could not renew their status as a permanent resident alien and could not apply for United States citizenship. The State agreed that the plea was unknowing and involuntary but claimed the threat of deportation was not a sufficient collateral consequence of the conviction. The circuit court agreed and denied the petition. On appeal, the Court of Special Appeals agreed with RaquinMercer and vacated the judgment below.
- Win in gun case: Isabelle won a trial involving multiple gun charges, including mandatory penalties, for her client on November 10, 2022. With a thorough review of the evidence and a cross examination of the prosecution’s DNA expert tailored to support the defense, Isabelle secured victory for her client who was immediately released from the jail.
- Win in attempted first degree murder case: Isabelle won on all the felony charges in a serious stabbing case on October 30, 2022. Isabelle argued that her client was acting in self-defense. The jury acquitted on all four serious felony offenses and convicted solely on one misdemeanor. From a potential life sentence to a misdemeanor, this was a huge victory for the client.
- Oral argument in groundbreaking privacy case: In October, Steve argued a case before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that seeks to expand a cell phone user’s expectation of privacy to include “repoll data” that reveals a person’s interstate travels or travels within a state between major cities.
- Postconviction win: In September, Steve secured the release of a client through postconviction litigation who had served 5 years of a 24-year sentence.