Juvenile

TESTIMONIALS – JUVENILE CASES

In May 2013, we learned that our 16 year old son had been accused by his cousin of sexually assaulting him. We were frantic. The charges were outrageous and totally false.  We first hired a local attorney who claimed he knew what he was doing. We were soon dissatisfied with his services, so we hired Attorney James Sullivan. Unlike the first attorney, Sullivan is board certified and an expert in juvenile law. Sullivan came out to our home and spent several hours getting to know us, our son and the details of the case. Our son is a gifted musician, has Asperger’s Syndrome, is kind and follows rules. There is no way our son would abuse his cousin or anyone else. We believed that the cousin’s father, a registered sex offender, may have abused him and forced him to make the accusation. The police did no meaningful investigation whatsoever. James Sullivan, however, investigated the alleged crime scene, the background of the accuser’s parents, interviewed the investigating officer and our son’s counselor. Within one week of being hired, Sullivan said he was ready to take the case to a jury trial but was confident that he could force the prosecutor to dismiss the case. We only had to go to court once. Sullivan told the prosecutor that if he did not dismiss the charges then he would ask the court for a speedy trial. The prosecutor asked for a one month reset date to review the case. Within three weeks, Sullivan called us with the news that the prosecutor had dismissed the charges. We were ecstatic and grateful. James Sullivan is a good lawyer and he really cares for his clients. He saved our son’s life and future. I highly recommend him.

~Grateful Parents in Montgomery County

Last year, August 2013, our family entered into the hardest trial and hardship of our lives to date when our teenage son was accused of fondling his younger sister and later arrested for indecency with a child.  Our world was shaken, turned upside down and inside out.  During a time like this, you feel vulnerable and helpless.  We searched high and low for a good attorney. We found Mr. Jim Sullivan.  Words could never express the gratitude we have for Mr. Sullivan. He helped us through a gut-wrenching ordeal.  He was there whenever we needed him.  He got us the results we hoped for and was completely understanding and discreet about our situation. We cannot recommend him enough or sing his praises enough to ever repay him for what he did for our son.  If you need help, talk to him and let him lead and guide you through, what is surely, a most difficult and trying time.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

~A Mormon mother in Harris County (AVVO Review)

I want to give Mr. Jim Sullivan special thanks for helping me with my son’s case in Harris county juvenile court.  My son was accused of sexual assault against my grand-daughter.  When Mr. Sullivan took my call, it was on a Sunday night and I thank him for listening and taking the time to view all the details of the allegation.  We ended up at a jury trial in Court 314.  The judge was tough, but Mr. Sullivan was able to prove my son was innocent and 12 jurors returned a Not Guilty verdict.  I was so relieved and very thankful.  My son graduates in a couple of months.  We needed to resolve this problem to move forward with his education.  I will always be grateful to Mr. Sullivan for his kindness and his hard work with my son’s case.  Thank you.

~A mother in Highlands, Texas

Hi Jim, I was on the jury panel for the defendant on March 19 & 20, 2013 in the 314^th [Juvenile District] Court.  My congratulations on winning the case [an Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child].  I believe justice was served.  The harsh treatment you received from the court was NOT a factor in deciding the case but it WAS noticed and mentioned during deliberations by all the jury members.  Glad to see you took the higher ground.  Your closing statement was very well prepared and was helpful in our decision making process. Best of Luck, it was an honor to be there.

~Juror, Houston, Texas (an e-mail sent from a juror in a 1^st degree felony sex case in which the State sought a determinate sentence)

Our initial ordeal with the juvenile justice system was devastating. Our trust that justice would prevail and our belief that our first attorney [who is now a juvenile court judge] had our interests first and foremost were destroyed. So when we again had to approach the court, we were at a loss as to which attorney to choose. Mr. Sullivan’s website indicated that he was more knowledgeable than most and had a passion and understanding about the need for justice for our children. He looked at my son as a whole person and not just a case number. His quick responses, direct communication and follow-ups helped to reassure us. He did not let us down. If we had had a competent, decent, ethical attorney a few years ago, we would have had a different outcome even then. We will never forget what Mr. Sullivan did for us and words cannot express our heartfelt gratitude. If you need an attorney for your daughter or son, I would highly recommend Mr. Jim Sullivan.  If your child needs a lawyer, Jim is definitely your guy!

~T.W., Houston, Texas

You never know–until it happens–that something once thought of as “kids experimenting” or “playing doctor” between siblings can actually be a 1st degree felony (Aggravated Sexual Assault). Not that I would ever knowingly condone such behavior; however, that’s the way it happened with our family. It’s amazing to me that children can be guilty of such serious offenses when they (we) don’t even know these laws apply to such seemingly innocent or misguided behavior. In actuality, it’s totally out of the parents hands once CPS or Juvenile Services are involved. This is why you MUST obtain legal counsel immediately to protect your children’s rights. I wasn’t even sure we even needed an attorney until I called Mr. Sullivan and he informed me just how serious the situation was. He was very compassionate, direct, and even came to our home for the first consultation. I can only speak for our experience, but my grandson was able to surrender voluntarily; was walked through the detention process, and didn’t have to spend even one night in juvenile detention. Additionally, Mr. Sullivan was able to get the first hearing set within 3 weeks and, to our amazement, was able to negotiate a 1st degree felony down to a class B misdemeanor. Even the Judge commented on what a good deal he got. Fortunately, my grandson is getting the counseling he needs instead of incarceration and a sex offense on his record. We are very grateful for our outcome and I highly recommend Mr. Sullivan.

~R.D., Houston, Texas (AVVO Review)

As an attorney myself, when concerns arose over an incident involving my son, I knew the extreme importance of finding an attorney who is Board Certified in juvenile law. Board Certified lawyers are highly specialized – enough that the State recognizes them for their expertise. My search led me to Jim Sullivan and I cannot thank him enough. He is extremely well-versed in this highly specialized area of law, kind, compassionate and non-judgmental. He spent a great deal of time understanding the incident involving my son and providing us guidance. Thankfully, it appears that this will turn out to only be a “learning opportunity” for my son but, I have Jim’s number in my phone and will call him immediately if the need arises.

~Concerned Mom

Jim Sullivan helped our son and family through a very difficult time.  On a Friday evening in February 2012, our son was handcuffed and taken from our home for detainment at the Juvenile facility (Fort Bend County) on a class 3 Felony charge of stalking. We were informed that we would not be able to see him until visiting hours Monday.  Our lives had been turned upside down and our son’s support system (his family) had been ripped out from under him.

My husband, who is lawyer, immediately began researching Houston area juvenile attorneys.  Based on Jim’s profile and qualifications, my husband called him late Friday evening.  Jim answered the phone and arranged to meet us at the Juvenile Detention Facility early Saturday afternoon.

Jim connected with our son immediately. It was apparent he cared about him as a whole person, not just the kid who suddenly found himself in trouble.  He was more than just a lawyer to my son. He shared his own experiences and his positive attitude about life and relationships.  Jim is not only a good lawyer but a good role model for our children.

The Felony charge did not stick and we are thankful for Jim’s help and counsel.

~Anonymous from Fort Bend County (AVVO Review)

When I needed a lawyer to defend my teenage son who was charged with a felony sex offense, it was a stroke of luck that Jim Sullivan answered his phone when I called.  My husband and I were frantic, worried and confused, but Jim answered our questions and we were especially reassured to know that not only did he have many years of experience with similar cases but that he was also Board Certified in Juvenile Law.  Like many families who understandably go through a harrowing ordeal when their teenagers face serious criminal charges, Jim’s dedicated and competent representation gave us a good comfort level and eased our fears.  He always treated us courteously and professionally.  Because Jim is intelligent, open-minded and competitive, he has proved to be a great lawyer who represented my son to the best of his ability and negotiated a deal with the prosecutor to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor assault–an extraordinary result for my son.  In two years, my son can get his juvenile record expunged and then apply for admission to a top university.

Jim Sullivan is a genuinely good man who really cares about the case result and how it will affect his clients’ future life, so he aims to secure decisions in their best interests and for that we are truly grateful.

~Concerned Mom in Fort Bend County (AVVO Review)

Professional, personable, reliable. This lawyer takes care of you. He helps children and parents in their time of need. He explains thoroughly the situation and makes sure you completely understand what is going on before moving forward. He will fight for your freedom. I hope I never have any more problems but if I do I will call Jim Sullivan he is the best in my eyes.

~Tracy McLaughlin, Houston, Texas

Jim Sullivan is truly an excellent attorney. He went the extra mile for my son.  One afternoon while I was at work, I received a phone call from Deer Park Police Department.  My son had been picked up from school in Huntsville, Texas and charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.  I became frantic and terrified to death.  I knew an offense like this would ruin my child’s life and not only that, but it was going to be hard to fight and he was already being treated as if he was guilty.  Later he was turned over to Juvenile Detention with no intention of release.  I spoke with several attorneys and they could only offer a plea bargain, saying “that he is guilty and would have to report as a sex offender until he was 28.”  My son was 15 years old at the time.  They did not give me much faith in going to trial.  This meant my son is guilty and that he was going to do some time.  I continued to search for an attorney and then I found Jim Sullivan. I called him and he agreed to meet at my convenience. I told him about my son’s situation and he said he believed that he could help. He suggested taking the case to trial. He gathered all the information he needed from me and then he went to work.  First he got my son released from Juvenile Detention and back into my custody.  Then he hired a private investigator and continued working on my son’s case.  One afternoon, about a month before trial, I received a call from Jim stating that my son’s case had been dismissed.  I cannot explain the relief my heart felt when I got this news, but I can say that I thank God for Jim Sullivan.  He gave my son’s life back.  Jim put time, patience and dedication into my child’s case. For this I am truly grateful.

~Percilla L., Huntsville, Texas

Jim Sullivan is truly a man who goes above and beyond for his clients, the majority of which are children. These kids can’t properly speak for themselves in a court of law, but Jim can and does.  This man’s dedication to these children is phenomenal!  He is committed to giving these kids a chance to start fresh.

Our son was almost 13 years old when we called on Jim in mid-2008, and he had been charged with a serious felony offense (aggravated sexual assault of a child).  It was a Sunday when we made the call.  Jim answered the phone and urged us to come in that evening.  He sat with us for three and a half hours listening to and coming to understand our story.  He was our second attorney.  The first had misrepresented himself as a juvenile defense attorney and was unable to get our son released from juvenile detention.  It was terrifying to have to start over in the middle of chaos, but Jim calmed the air so quickly and helped us move forward.

Jim took our son’s case that Sunday evening and changed our boy’s life.  Jim got our son back in our custody immediately.  He connected with our son and gained his trust, something the previous attorney had no time to do.  Jim always remembered he was our son’s attorney, not ours, and he treated our son with respect even though he had managed to land himself in a situation undeserving of it.  Jim spent time preparing our son for what was happening now and what could be expected in the future.  He was always prompt in returning phone calls; that is if I had to leave a message at all.  I was usually able to reach him right away even in the evening when I did not expect to.

Jim knew that we had just paid our previous attorney in full and that we were financially in a bind.  He didn’t make us feel unimportant while we gathered the funds he would need to defend our son.  He always treated us as if we had paid in full the minute we walked through his door.  This man is not about money!  I truly believe that he does all that he can to provide his services at a minimal cost.

Jim also knew that our son was from a home of divorce and that he would have to do double time on correspondence between father and mother.  He did so with the utmost patience and respect to both sides.  Jim kept the peace when it wasn’t his responsibility.  Remember, Jim is the child’s attorney and not the parents.  However, he took the time to help us come together on some very important issues.  Just know that my son was grateful at the peace that was created.

My son is now moving on with his life in the custody of his parents and not the state of Texas, because a man named Jim Sullivan believes he has a duty to children and he wakes up to the call of that duty every day and meets it with the utmost integrity.

~Tammie P., Houston, Texas

I am thankful that my son and I had Jim Sullivan for our attorney. It is so rare to find a personable lawyer who will fight for your child’s justice.  I am happy he was my son’s attorney; if you ever need an awesome lawyer who actually cares about his clients look for Jim Sullivan. I always keep his card just in case someone I know needs an honest hard working talented lawyer for adults and children. Jim Sullivan will take care of you and your loved ones. 

~T.L.M., Houston, Texas

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