Mark Petraske successfully defended a physician in a recent medical malpractice case and secured a “No-Cause” verdict after a 10-day trial in Burlington County. The case was complex and involved a dispute over whether a primary care physician failed to diagnose an evolving arterial occlusion in the lower leg and whether that alleged failure to diagnose resulted in the need for the amputation of the plaintiff’s leg below the knee. At trial, Mr. Petraske presented evidence which disputed the plaintiff’s contentions about the level of care and the alleged failure to diagnose by the physician, and effectively presented an alternative causation argument through expert testimony which showed that the likely cause of the plaintiff’s condition was unrelated to the physician’s care and treatment. The jury agreed with the defense presentation by Mr. Petraske and returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the defendant physician after deliberating for about 5 hours. In addition to the complex medical and scientific issues in dispute, the trial itself presented several procedural challenges brought about by Covid-19, including a “hybrid” approach to jury selection and participation – i.e., the jury was selected virtually but then the jurors attended the court proceedings in person. Most of the witnesses were live, but two witnesses appeared by video link. One interesting development during trial was that one of the attorneys and experts were diagnosed with Covid-19. Rather than declare a mistrial, the court stopped the trial for 5 days until the attorney and expert tested negative and the trial was then resumed to completion.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is proud to announce that Craig A. Domalewski has been selected for inclusion in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers® for commercial litigation. Best Lawyers® is the oldest and one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession.
About Best Lawyers®
Best Lawyers has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 12.2 million votes were analyzed to identify the top legal talent, as identified by their peers. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.
For additional information about The Best Lawyers in America and its methodology, please click here.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that Richard S. Panitch has joined the firm as a partner. Mr. Panitch is a well-respected trial attorney who has earned an outstanding reputation based on his impressive record of courtroom success.
Throughout his career, Mr. Panitch has had diverse trial experience in multiple facets of litigation and has developed a special emphasis on complex litigation including the litigation and trial of severe personal injury, employment discrimination and civil rights cases. He has been involved in high profile cases and is a zealous and tireless litigator who uses his creativity to resolve many difficult cases for the benefit his clients.
Prior to coming to Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. Mr. Panitch co-chaired the litigation department of a law firm in Monmouth County where he served as their lead trial attorney. In 2021, Mr. Panitch was selected by a vote of his peers to be included in Monmouth Health and Life Magazine’s 2021 list of top lawyers in personal injury and labor law in Monmouth County.
Mr. Panitch is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he was in the top ten percent of his law school class. He was awarded the Philadelphia Trial Lawyer’s Award for outstanding achievement in trial advocacy and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Mr. Panitch also represented the University of Pennsylvania in the National Moot Court Competition.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is excited that Mr. Panitch has chosen to continue his career with the firm. He will continue to handle complex civil litigation including cases involving severe personal injury, employment discrimination and civil rights and will add further depth and experience to the firm’s deep bench of litigators and trial attorneys.
Mr. Panitch can be reached at rpanitch@dughihewit.com or (908) 272-0200.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that the Honorable Vincent Le Blon has joined the firm as a member of the firm’s Mediation, Arbitration and Special Master practice group.
Judge Le Blon served as a Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court in Middlesex County for 25 years. Over that span of time, Judge Le Blon served with distinction and was widely respected for his keen intellect, thorough preparation, and knowledge of the law. He earned a reputation for being a thoughtful and fair-minded judge who could handle the most difficult cases.
“We are thrilled to welcome Judge Le Blon to the firm,” said Craig A. Domalewski, Managing Partner. “Judge Le Blon distinguished himself on the bench and his deep knowledge of the law, broad and varied experience as a judge, and practical approach to resolving disputes will be an enormous benefit to our clients.”
Judge Le Blon handled a wide variety of civil and criminal cases over the course of his judicial career, including personal injury, insurance coverage, professional negligence, employment discrimination, product liability, toxic tort, business disputes, and environmental cases. He presided over hundreds of jury trials and conducted thousands of settlement conferences and mediations while on the bench. He also served as the chancery judge for four years where he handled numerous cases involving the imposition of injunctions, the issuance of temporary restraints, and other cases seeking equitable relief.
Judge Le Blon joins the Hon. William L’E. Wertheimer (Ret.), as a member of the firm’s Mediation, Arbitration and Special Master practice group. They handle mediations, arbitrations, and special master assignments and provide advice to attorneys and clients on trial and appellate court strategies through counseling and mock trial practice.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that seven of its attorneys have been selected to the 2022 New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers is a part of Thomson Reuters and is a research and peer-review rating service. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of the attorneys in the State of New Jersey.
The DHD attorneys recognized on the 2022 Super Lawyers List are:
In addition, the firm is also proud to announce that Ryan Notarangelo and Benjamin Forrest were named to the 2022 New Jersey Rising Stars list. Each year, this designation is given to less than 2.5 percent of New Jersey attorneys recognized as the top up-and-coming attorneys who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less.
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No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection process methodology for the awards referenced is available at SuperLawyers.com
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that the Supreme Court of New Jersey has appointed Brandon D. Minde to the Board on Attorney Certification Criminal Certification Committee. Brandon, a certified criminal trial attorney and past-Chair of the Criminal Law Section of the NJ State Bar Association, will serve a three-year term, ending on December 31, 2024. The firm congratulates Brandon on his appointment and is very proud of the important work he will be doing for the Criminal Certification Committee, which plays a vital role in protecting the public and raising the level of competence of attorneys in this State.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that it has added three attorneys to its growing medical malpractice and matrimonial departments, including Pamela C. Castillo as a partner.
Pam is a very well-respected attorney bringing 15 years of experience in handling all aspects of medical malpractice defense litigation. She has advocated for a broad spectrum of health professionals, including physicians, advanced practice nurses, and midwives, in varied and complex medical negligence cases, throughout her career.
In addition to Pam, the firm has added two associates, Alexa Luzzi and Cara Anan.
Alexa has joined the firm following the completion of her judicial clerkship for The Honorable Marc C. LeMieux, P.J.Cr. in the Criminal Division, Monmouth County. Alexa will focus primarily on the representation of physicians and other healthcare providers in civil litigation and medical malpractice cases.
Cara has joined the firm following the completion of her judicial clerkship for The Honorable Richard W. English, P.J.F.P., in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Cara will focus her practice in matrimonial and family law.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is excited to add these three talented lawyers, which will allow us to continue providing our health care and matrimonial clients with the highest level of legal representation.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is proud to announce that Brandon D. Minde, a trial partner and past-Chair of the NJSBA Criminal Law Section, will be a speaker on Ethics for Criminal Trial Attorneys at the NJICLE live webcast of the 15th Annual Criminal Law Institute on Saturday, November 13, 2021.
The 15th Annual Criminal Law Institute features some of the state’s most respected judges and attorneys who will address today’s cutting-edge topics in areas including issues and concerns in getting back to court, the latest on marijuana law, and the credibility of law enforcement witnesses. Minde will speak at the annual ethics segment honing in on ethical issues specific to criminal law practitioners.
Mr. Minde is the head of Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski’s criminal law department, is a former Essex County Assistant Prosecutor, and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney.
You’ve been arrested and charged with a crime in New Jersey. It’s scary. Thoughts race through your head: How do I avoid jail? How do I avoid a criminal record? How do I keep this from affecting my job? What do I do if I’m not guilty? Being charged with a crime is something no one wants to go through, but if it happens, you need an experienced New Jersey criminal defense lawyer to fight for you from the start. If you are charged with a crime in New Jersey, one option you must always explore is whether you are eligible for pretrial intervention, or “PTI.”
If you have been charged with a crime in New Jersey and are a first-time or non-violent offender, then PTI can offer the ability to avoid jail time and avoid having a criminal conviction on your record. If you are admitted into the PTI program and successfully complete it, then you will not have a criminal record, but admission into PTI is neither automatic nor easy. Luckily, the experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorneys at Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski are former prosecutors who know what it takes to get our clients into PTI. In order to qualify, the following must be true: no prior admissions in PTI or the Veterans Diversion Program; no prior conditional dismissals or discharges in municipal court; and no prior admissions in a similar type of diversionary program in another state or federal court
Step one for obtaining PTI in New Jersey is writing an effective application, which the experienced criminal defense attorneys and former prosecutors at Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski know how to do. We take our time to interview you and find out the complete story surrounding the case and your entire background. Only then, once we know who our client is and where our client is coming from, can we tell the right story – your story – that will give our client the best shot at getting accepted into PTI.
PTI in New Jersey is a one-time offer to keep your record free of a criminal conviction. Because of that, a discussion must always be had if a given case is the right time for you to apply to PTI. It is also important to remember that just because you have a criminal record or the crime charged carries a presumption of incarceration or a mandatory minimum period of parole ineligibility, you still may be eligible for PTI.
The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski have successfully gotten our clients into PTI by helping them tell their story through an effective PTI application. If you have been charged with a crime in New Jersey, you need to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help you understand all your options, including whether you are eligible and if you should apply to PTI. Our criminal defense group consists of experienced former prosecutors who have utilized PTI for their clients in courts throughout New Jersey including Essex County, Union County, Morris County, Passaic County, Hudson County, and Somerset County, Monmouth County, and Ocean County. If you have been charged with a criminal offense and think you might be eligible for PTI, call or email Brandon D. Minde, Chair of the firm’s Criminal Law Practice, for a consultation at (908) 272-0200 or bminde@dughihewit.com.
