One Tough Criminal Defense Lawyer

http://www.toughlawyerswin.com/

A born winner, Attorney Michael D. Winston is licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in the state of Ohio. Having tried cases throughout the state ranging from civil to criminal, DUI, and divorce, Michael D. Winston's experience is broad and compelling.

Michael D. Winston believes in advocating aggressively for his clients and treating every client like his only client. He is not afraid to call himself TOUGH.

Attorney Michael D. Winston is in private practice in the State of Ohio. He is a graduate of Virginia State University where he obtained a B.A. in Political Science, and Howard Law School where he obtained his Juris Doctorate. While at Howard, Attorney Winston was recognized by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) for excellence in trial advocacy after winning ATLA’s regional trial competition (Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina) and placing second nationally. A respected journalist, Attorney Winston served as a contributing writer and columnist for The New Barrister.

Attorney Michael D. Winston proudly served in the United States Army Reserve Corps as an enlisted member of the Judge Advocate General Corps. Winston is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, The Central Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Sigma Delta Tau Legal Fraternity and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Having challenged the constitutionality of legislative enactments before high courts of Ohio, sued police departments for civil rights violations and defended the rights of citizens of Ohio to own firearms and to defend themselves and others, Michael David Winston's reputation as an excellent trial attorney is well established in Ohio and is growing nationally.

Attorney Michael David Winston maintains legal offices in Cleveland and Columbus Ohio and is available to individuals and businesses in all counties in the state of Ohio.

Attorney general's office goes after the swindlers

In 2009, 37 companies were sued over rip-offs in Ohio

Monday, January 25, 2010 3:05 AM
By James Nash

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Johne Nichols, a 73-year-old retiree who lives in the Linden area, is used to garden-variety rip-offs such as paste that's supposed to cover up paint scratches but doesn't and wrinkle cream that doesn't perform as advertised.

But when she paid a company called BlueHippo nearly $1,600 for a computer that never materialized, Nichols said she couldn't swallow her pride and write off another apparent petty swindle.

So she did what more than 30,000 other Ohioans did last year: She called the state attorney general's office to report the presumed scam.

Nearly a year after calling the state, Nichols -- like hundreds of other BlueHippo customers in Ohio -- still hasn't gotten her money back. She does, however, have the satisfaction of knowing that Attorney General Richard Cordray is suing the company over the alleged multi-state scheme.

Last year saw consumer complaints rise to new highs in Ohio. Cordray's office said it fielded 30,259 complaints, up 20 percent from 2008. The Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio also reported an increase in the number of consumer complaints.

Both offices say bottom-feeders have proliferated as economic woes take a toll on companies and consumers.

"It's both the economy and folks being more aggressive in terms of marketing their products," said Susan Choe, the attorney general's top consumer enforcer. "With companies experiencing financial difficulties, they're failing to deliver the product."

According to Cordray's lawsuit, BlueHippo was more than a victim of a bad economy. The Baltimore-based company swindled hundreds of Ohioans with bad credit by signing them up for layaway plans to receive computers that never came, the lawsuit said. Cordray's office said it received 80 complaints last year on BlueHippo.

One of those complaints came from Nichols, who said she wanted to buy a computer to access the Bible and other religious materials.

"The Scripture told me that there are deceivers out there, and I was deceived so quickly," she said. "When I see someone on my street doing this, I call the police."

BlueHippo is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. Company officials did not return calls for comment. The company's last listed bankruptcy attorney and Ohio-based defense attorney said they no longer represent the company.

Officials in Cordray's office acknowledge that, with thousands of claims against BlueHippo nationally, Ohio victims might see little to no restitution.

BlueHippo is one of 37 companies that Cordray's office sued last year as a result of consumer complaints. Of the more than 30,000 complaints received, the majority went to an informal resolution process that yielded $2.8 million in refunds to consumers, Choe said.

The office opened about 200 formal investigations, she said.

The top categories of complaints: motorized vehicles, including repairs and title services; collections, credit reporting and financial services; and household goods and property improvement.

The largest increase came in the area of debt collection, where complaints have risen from 1,699 in 2006 to 3,250 in 2009. That's both a function of the bad economy -- more people owing money -- and more aggressive tactics on the part of collectors, Choe said.

Typical of the car complaints was the case of Syed Aman of Groveport, whose 1992 Honda Accord spent a month in a repair shop after a botched repair attempt early last year. After contacting the attorney general's office, Aman got the repair shop to pay $400 toward the cost of his rental car.

Ohio day-care center suspected of doping children

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By Lisa Cornwell
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CINCINNATI -- Allegations that workers at a church day care put an over-the-counter dietary supplement in candy to help children sleep at nap time are under investigation, police said today.

Springfield Township police Lt. Dave Schaefer confirmed that police are looking into allegations that some workers at Covenant Apostolic Church Daycare in suburban Cincinnati gave melatonin to some children there. He did not give the ages of the children. Police have sent a letter to parents and guardians of children who attend the day care, informing them of the investigation.

The letter dated yesterday says the investigation had just begun and police did not know which staff members allegedly gave the supplement to children or how many of the 40 or so children who attend the day care allegedly received the supplement.
The letter said the information was being provided to parents and guardians so that they could "take whatever actions you deem necessary to protect your child or children in the event that they were given melatonin on one or more occasions." It suggested parents or guardians contact their family physician or the Poison Control Center if they have questions about the effects of melatonin.

The letter also said the Hamilton County prosecutor's office had been notified and the day care is cooperating in the investigation. Messages seeking comment were left today at the church and at a phone number listed for the church pastor in the letter police sent to parents. Schaefer referred calls seeking any additional information to the prosecutor's office in Cincinnati. Prosecutor spokeswoman Julie Wilson said she only could confirm that there was an ongoing investigation into the day care.

Melatonin is a hormone made by a small gland in the brain. It helps control sleep and wake cycles and is not FDA-approved or regulated, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site. Possible side effects include dizziness, abdominal discomfort, headaches, confusion, sleepwalking and nightmares.

The site also says that long-term effects of melatonin are not known and it may not be safe for anyone who is pregnant, breast-feeding or younger than age 20.

Sheriff finalizing plans to demote lieutenants

By Mark Puente, The Plain Dealer
November 28, 2009, 5:02AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A plan to demote seven sheriff's lieutenants has taken longer than expected, but it is moving forward and could occur in January, Sheriff Bob Reid said.

The seven lieutenants were promoted from sergeant and given a $7,000 pay raise in January, when former Sheriff Gerald McFaul abolished the entire rank of sergeant and laid off 18 deputies. Several of the sergeants promoted to lieutenant had personal ties to McFaul and his family.

Reid announced in August that he planned to force the lieutenants back to their former rank of sergeant because they should not have been promoted without a competitive process under those circumstances.

He plans to only have four lieutenants. Only one of the remaining two lieutenants will remain in his position and another retired. A promotional exam will be offered for all sergeants to compete for the other three lieutenant positions, Reid said in August.

Reid said this week that he plans to meet with the lieutenants and sergeants next week to discuss the reclassification and promotional exam. Agreements needed to be reached on the process with the unions before the moves could be made, Reid said.

Without the agreements, he feared union grievances and unfair labor charges could burden the process. He is hopeful the moves will occur in January.

"I am disappointed that we haven't done the promotional process," Reid said. "I want a very clean process. It's better to move a little cautiously on this."

The office is finalizing an agreement with a company to provide the promotional exams. The deputies will be given about three weeks to study for the exam, Reid added.

The lieutenants attempted to unionize this year after a state labor board ruled that McFaul violated the law by axing the sergeants when they were trying to unionize. They eventually voted to join the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. The union called Reid's plan "a fair and viable resolution."