Cheryl Coleman - Attorney at Law

Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Since rejoining Albany's criminal defense bar in 2004, Cheryl has quickly regained her reputation as one of the areas most high profile and successful criminal defense lawyers. In the last few years alone, she has won more major Court battles than many attorneys have in their entire careers.

Here are some of her recent successes:

2011
September 2011	All charges dismissed by an Albany County Court Judge against Cheryl's client, an Albany man charged with a Class A-2 Felony drug sale. Cheryl successfully argued that the District Attorney had violated her client's "Speedy Trial" rights under Criminal Procedure Law 30.30.
August 2011	Cheryl and co-counsel successfully defended an Albany Parole Officer who had been charged with forcibly raping a female parolee in one of the years most high-profile trials. After 5 days of deliberations an Albany County Court Jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of acquittal on all of the sex crime charges and convicted him of only the misdemeanor of Official Misconduct - a charge he admitted on the witness stand. The District Attorney ultimately decided against a retrial, and agreed to dismiss all of the sex crime charges.
May 2011	All evidence suppressed and case dismissed by an Albany County Court Judge in favor of Cheryl's client, a Troy man charged with Felony Drug possession by Colonie Police. During the suppression hearing, Cheryl was able to show that the police lacked probable cause to arrest.
February 2011	An Albany County Jury finds Cheryl's client, an Albany Police Officer, Not Guilty of all charges - including Felony Assault stemming from a domestic dispute.
2010
October 2010	An Albany County Jury finds Cheryl's client, a Watervliet man Not Guilty of Felony DWI for which he faced up to 7 years if convicted. Instead he is convicted of only the traffic infraction of DWAI.
August 2010	Another trial victory - this time without ever going to the Jury. An Albany County Judge dismissed the case against Cheryl's client, an Albany man charged with Felony weapons possession at the end of the District Attorney's Case after Cheryl successfully moves for a trail order of dismissal.
May 2010	A Not Guilty verdict for Cheryl's client, a 17 year old boy charged in Albany County Court in the stabbing death of an Albany man in October 2009. Her client was freed immediately after the verdict.
March 2010	All charges dismissed by a Rensselaer County Court Judge against Cheryl's client who had been charged in a multi-count indictment for a Troy "home invasion." After the Decision, the prosecutor decided not to re-indict, and Cheryl's client was cleared.
January 2010	All evidence suppressed and case dismissed by an Albany County Court Judge against Cheryl's client, an Albany man, following a suppression hearing. The Judge ruled the search of Cheryl's client - an Albany man charged with Felony drug possession - was illegal, and that the officer's testimony was also not credible. Her client was freed.
January 2010	All evidence suppressed by a Schenectady County Court Judge against Cheryl's client, a Schenectady man, charged with Felony Drug and Stolen Property possession in his home. The Judge found that the search warrant was defective. Cheryl's client was released from jail.
January 2010	A Not Guilty verdict by a jury in Bethlehem Town Court for Cheryl's client, a Greene County man charged with Criminal Contempt for allegedly violating an Order of Protection.
2009
2009 was another great year for Cheryl and her clients
December 2009	A Not Guilty verdict by an Albany County Court Jury for Cheryl's client a New York City man charged with perjury in the First Degree. He had been accused of testifying falsely at a friend’s murder trial but was acquitted in a little over an hour.
	And Cheryl succeeded in getting 3 Felony cases dismissed without ever going to trial.
May 2009	All charges dismissed against an Albany man who had been charged with Rape in the Third Degree. Cheryl succeeded in getting the indictment dismissed under New York State's "speedy trial" statute.
April 2009	All charges dismissed against a New York City man indicted for Felony Drug Possession. Cheryl was able to get the prosecutor to agree to move to dismiss the indictment against her client after the co-defendant acknowledged that Cheryl's client had no knowledge.
March 2009	Indictment dismissed against Cheryl's client, an Albany man charged with Felony Assault. After the Judge's Decision, the District Attorney decided not to re-indict.
2008
What a year! 2008 brought Cheryl success. Just look at these examples:
December 2008	A Not Guilty verdict by a Schenectady County jury for Chery's client, a young Long Island man charged with Robbery and Assault.
December 2008	All charges dismissed against Chery's client, a Schenectady Police Officer who had been indicted along with three other officers in an alleged beating incident. He has returned to work.
September 2008	A complete acquittal in Columbia County Court for Cheryl's client, charged in a 21 count indictment with rape and sexual abuse. The jury found Cheryl's client not guilty of all but the final count - a misdemeanor of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Then, the Judge dismissed the final county, making her client a free man.
June 2008	Cheryl won a victory for her client, an East Greenbush man, in the New York State Court of Appeals, the state's highest Court, reversing his conviction in an acquaintance rape case. (See 2006 Accomplishments).
April 2008	Cheryl obtained a Not Guilty verdict from an Albany County Jury for her client, a young Albany man charged with Felony Weapons Possession and Reckless Endangerment. Her client was released immediately after the verdict.
April 2008	Cheryl obtained a Not Guilty verdict from a Rensselaer County Jury for her client, an Albany man, charged with attempted murder for shooting his former girlfriend.
March 2008	Cheryl obtained a Not Guilty verdict in a Murder trial along with co-counsel in Albany County. Her client a young Albany man, was acquitted of all charges.
March 2008	Cheryl succeeded in getting all evidnece thrown out in Rensselaer County Court. Her client, a Corrections Officer had been indicted on Gun and Drug charges.
February 2008	All charges dismissed against Cheryl's client, an Albany man charged with Attempted Murder.
2007
December 2007	All evidence suppressed and case dismissed by a Saratoga County Court Judge agaisnt Cheryl's client, a Waterford man charged with Felony Drug Possession.
September 2007	A Not Guilty verdict by a jury in Hunter Town Court for Cheryl's client who had been charged with Stalking.
June 2007	Cheryl's client, a Greenville man, is found Not Guilty by a jury. He had been charged with Menacing in the Town of Rensselaerville.
May 2007	Cheryl's Client, an Albany woman is found Not Guilty after an Assault trial in Albany City Court.
May 2007	All charges are dismissed against Cheryl's client, a Clifton Park woman accused of stabbing her husband in a domistic dispute.
February 2007	Cheryl's client, a Colonie man, is found Not Guilty of Felony DWI by an Albany County Court Jury. The client who, faced up to 4 years in prison if convicted, was found guilty instead only of a minor traffic infraction, and fined.
2006
November 2006	Cheryl succeeded in getting an indictment for tax evasion charges dismissed for her client, an Albany storeowner. It was actually the second time Cheryl got this indictment dismissed, but this time the prosecutor was not allowed to attempt re-indictment.
October 2006	A not guilty verdict by a Rensselaer City Court Jury for Cheryl's client, another Albany Police Officer, charged with menacing with a gun.
August 2006	A not guilty verdict by a Rensselaer County Court Jury for Cheryl's client, a 16 year old boy charged with Attempted Murder in a Troy shooting.
July 2006	An Albany County Court Grand Jury completely clears Cheryl's client, an Albany Police Officer charged with an assault.
May 2006	A not guilty verdict by an Albany County Jury for Cheryl's client, a Delmar man charged in an acquaintance rape.
May 2006	All evidence suppressed and case dismissed against Cheryl's client, an Albany man charged with possessing a loaded handgun.
January 2006	Cheryl succeeded in freeing a Rensselaer County man who had been convicted of a 2001 acquaintance rape in Rensselaer County because of the District Attorney's withholding exculpatory evidence. It was the first time most local attorneys can remember any defense lawyer winning such a victory on what is commonly known as a "440 motion."