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John W. Kerns

Of Counsel

BIO

John Kerns has been protecting individual’s Constitutional rights for over 20 years. John strives to minimize or eliminate any potential criminal penalty that you may encounter. John's goal is to provide you with the best quality legal representation available. John zealously and aggressively fights for his clients, approaching every client as a dignified  individual with a focus on integrity, advocacy and understanding.  John has more than two decades of experience providing criminal defense representation for individuals charged with violent, drug, property, and white-collar crimes throughout the State of Kansas. John has utilized and developed thorough and effective investigation, discovery review, pre-hearing and trial preparation and presentation skills, along with extensive and effective negotiation and client communication proficiency.  

 

In addition to accepting retained cases in Federal Court, John is a Federal Criminal Justice Act Panel attorney representing indigent clients charged with federal crimes in Kansas. The Criminal Justice Act Panel is a group of qualified attorneys, selected by a committee of judges and experienced attorneys to represent individuals in criminal cases who are financially unable to retain counsel. John has conducted countless state level jury trials and has represented the accused as lead counsel in numerous Federal criminal cases. These Federal cases cover a wide gamut and include cases such as tax fraud and drug distribution conspiracy, as examples.   

 

While a lifetime member of both the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, John has developed a reputation of providing thorough, smart and passionate criminal defense representation for his clients.  Skilled in planning, preparing, and managing high-profile cases, John combines analytical, investigative, organizational, negotiation and litigation experience to prepare and conclude cases.  John is regularly involved in complex, high-level litigation. John W. Kerns is proud of choosing a career that allows him to take on powerful governmental entities (and win). John‘s motto is, ”Bring it on!"

 

 

Representative Matters:

 

FIRST DEGREE MURDER  JURY TRIAL RESULT: DEADLOCKED (11 NOT GUILTY, 1 GUILTY), RETRIAL RESULT: CASE DISMISSED ONE WEEK PRIOR TO TRIAL

 FIRST DEGREE MURDER & CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER  JURY TRIAL RESULT: DEADLOCKED. STATE AMENDED WITNESS LIST TO INCLUDE PREVIOUS CLIENT CREATING CONFLICT OF INTEREST

 

ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY

 

ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER; INTENTIONAL & POSSESSION OF FIREARM  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY

 

AGGRAVATED INCEST (4 COUNTS) & INDECENT LIBERTIES  1ST JURY TRIAL: GUILTY OF 4 COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED INCEST. MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL SUSTAINED. JURY RETRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY ALL COUNTS

 

AGGRAVATED INDECENT LIBERTIES  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY 

 

FORCIBLE RAPE  RESULT: CASE DISMISSED AFTER PROBABLE CAUSE FINDING AT PRELIMINARY HEARING DUE TO DNA TEST RESULTS EXONERATING CLIENT  

 

RAPE JUDGE PERSUADED TO NOT FOLLOW JESSICA'S LAW 25 YEAR MANDATORY MINIMUM, RESULT: SENTENCING RANGE REDUCED BY 11 YEARS  

 

AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SODOMY  SENTENCING RANGE 25 YEARS TO LIFE. NEGOTIATED RESULT: PROBATION  

 

FORCIBLE RAPE  NEGOTIATED RESULT: AMENDED TO LESSER CHARGE WITH JOINT PROBATION PLEA RECOMMENDATION (BUT JUDGE ORDERS PRISON FOR 3 YEARS ON THE LESSER CHARGE)  

 

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY & AGGRAVATED BATTERY  CASE DISMISSED AFTER BEING BOUND OVER AT PRELIMINARY HEARING  

 

AGGRAVATED BATTERY  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY  

 

AGGRAVATED BATTERY  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY  

 

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY  

FELONY THEFT  CASE DISMISSED AFTER STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS MOTION SUSTAINED  

 

FELONY DUI  JURY TRIAL RESULT: NOT GUILTY  

 

FELONY DUI  JURY TRIAL RESULT: DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS SUSTAINED AFTER PRESENTATION OF STATE'S CASE  

 

MISDEMEANOR DUI  CASED DISMISSED DUE TO UNTIMELY DISCOVERY DISSEMINATION  

 

POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE  CASE DISMISSED  

 

AGGRAVATED ARSON & ARSON  NEGOTIATED RESULT: PROBATION WITH NO JAIL TIME AS CONDITION OF PROBATION  

POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA & PARAPHERNALIA; POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO USE FELONIES  NEGOTIATED RESULT: DIVERSION  

 POSSESSION OF AMPHETAMINE & POSSESSION OF MDMA  CASE DISMISSED  

 

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MARRIAGE FRAUD; FALSE STATEMENT TO THE GOVERNMENT; FRAUD AND MISUSE OF IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS; UNLAWFUL PROCUREMENT OF CITIZENSHIP OF NATIONALIZATION  CASE DISMISSED  

 

CRIMINAL THREAT  RETAINED AFTER PRELIMINARY HEARING WAIVER; RESULT: CASE DISMISSED  

 

ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER  NEGOTIATED RESULT: AMEND TO ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND CRIMINAL THREAT. DEFENDANT'S DOWNWARD DISPOSITIONAL DEPARTURE MOTION SUSTAINED. RESULT: PROBATION 

MAKING FALSE INFORMATION FELONY  CASE DISMISSED  

 

FELONY DUI  CASE DISMISSED AFTER MOTION CITING CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY SPEEDY TRIAL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS  

 

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA  CASE DISMISSED   

 

AGGRAVATED ARSON (4 COUNTS), AGGRAVATED ENDANGERING A CHILD (3 COUNTS)  NEGOTIATED RESULT: PROBATION WITH NO JAIL TIME AS CONDITION OF PROBATION.  

 

*Every Case is Unique

JUST LIKE EVERY CLIENT, EVERY CASE IS UNIQUE. THESE CASE RESULTS ARE SAMPLES OF PREVIOUS CASES, BUT ARE NOT A GUARANTEE OR PREDICTION AS TO ANY FUTURE CASE


EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, Washburn University School of Law, 2001

University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, Comparative Legal Studies Semester 1999.

BA, University of Kansas in Environmental Studies, 1998


BAR ADMISSIONS
Kansas

United States District Court for the District of Kansas

United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit


AFFILIATIONS
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Life Member

Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Life Member

Association of Defense Counsel Practicing Before the International Courts and Tribunals, Full Member

Topeka Bar Association

Contact John W. Kerns

Phone: 785-380-7947

Fax: 785-371-1266

Email: john@thedavidlawoffice.com

 

 

 

 


 

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