Won DMV Revocation Proceeding

Administrative Law

Negotiated Plea in Return for Probation in Attorney General Organized Crime Task Force Drug Conspiracy Case

Criminal Law

(Mar. 2015)  In case involving more than 20 defendants and over 200 charges arising from a months long wiretap investigation, defendant was charged with more than a dozen offenses and faced decades in prison.  Matthew Hug successfully negotiated a plea deal that resulted in a sentence of probation.

(Mar. 2015) New rules enacted by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles have made it very difficult to get your license back if it has been revoked under a wide variety of circumstances.  These new rules are so draconian that it could mean revocation for life.  While these rules have been challenged unsuccessfully in court by others, Mr. Hug sued the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles challenging those rules and, secured the immediate removal of the revocation of his client’s driver’s license.  In fact, the DMV elected to not even respond and,  removed the revocation based upon the arguments raised in Mr. Hug’s lawsuit alone.

(Feb. 2015)  In a very difficult and lengthy family court case in which his client had only supervised and very limited visitation, Mr. Hug after a long legal battle successfully reunited the parent with their child by eliminating CPS from the case that was overstepping its bounds and establishing that the other parent had manipulated the facts and the system in securing custody and preventing contact with the other parent.  After a year of fighting, Mr. Hug’s client achieved a complete victory and has been reunited with their child.

(Feb. 2015)  Successfully prevented client from losing professional broker’s license and negotiated resolution in a difficult case to a brief suspension with assured return of the license within moths where the agency was seeking revocation.

(Jan. 2015)  In a commercial burglary case in which approximately $150,000 was alleged to have been stolen, Matthew Hug successfully prevented the prosecution from compelling defendant to provide a DNA sample which, weakened the prosecution’s case to such a degree that they offered to reduce the sentence from a maximum of 10 years in prison to a sentence of 1 – 3 years.

All Charges Against Client Dismissed

Criminal Law

(Dec. 2014) Client faced three charges, including resisting arrest, stalking in the first degree and aggravated harassment and retained Matthew Hug.  After making motions and investigating the case, all charges were dismissed.

(Oct. 2014)  Matthew Hug was retained by individual that was sentenced to one year in county jail after her conviction for aggravated DWI that arose from a fatal car accident.  Matthew Hug got her released from jail and she remained free on bail pending appeal. On appeal, Mr. Hug successfully argued that the police improperly obtained a warrant to take a blood sample.  As a result, the conviction was reversed and the case was dismissed.

(Sept. 2014)  Matthew Hug was appointed by Greene County to act as a Special District Attorney for an inflammatory case in which a correction’s officer working at the County Jail was accused by female inmates of having engaged in sexualized behavior and abuse.  After a lengthy case, Mr. Hug secured a conviction against the correction’s officer.

Settled N.S.F. Case for $740,000.00

Products Liability/Pharmaceutical Injury

Settlement obtained for gadolinium injuries including Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis from multi-national corporation.

Won Longest Trial in the History of Albany County

Criminal Law

(Apr. 2013)  In a criminal drug conspiracy case involving more than 30 defendants and approximately 200 charges prosecuted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Hug took the matter to trial.  The trial lasted 13 weeks and, at the conclusion, all charges against Mr. Hug’s client were dismissed.

Reversed Convictions for Assault and Robbery in First Degree

Criminal Law / Appellate

(Nov. 2013)  In a criminal drug conspiracy case involving more than 30 defendants and approximately 200 charges prosecuted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Hug took the matter to trial.  The trial lasted 13 weeks and, at the conclusion, all charges against Mr. Hug’s client were dismissed.

(Jan. 2013)  Judgment from Supreme Court in case against New York State Agency in Albany Engineering Corp. v. Hudson River Black River Regulating District, in excess of $860,000 in damages and interest.

Reversed Dismissal of Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Other Claims

Commercial/Appellate

(Jan. 2013)  In a case between a baked good distributor and manufacturer involving allegations of breach of fiduciary duty by the manufacturer toward the distributor, Matthew Hug reinstated claims that were dismissed by the trial court.

Reversed Dismissal of Father’s Custody Petition

Family Law/Appellate

(July 2012)  In a difficult custody case, Matthew Hug was retained to reverse the dismissal of the father’s custody petition by the Family Court.  The case was of particular complexity given the fact that the father alleged that the mother — who resided in the State of Virginia — had exposed the child to physical abuse.  The Family Court dismissed the petition claiming that the father had to move for custody in the State of Virginia.  In a lengthy and highly researched argument related to jurisdiction of the State of New York over children residing in other states, Matthew Hug convinced the appellate court that the State of New York could exercise jurisdiction over the case and reversed the Family Court’s decision and reinstated the petition.

Reversed Manslaughter & Reckless Endangerment Convictions at Court of Appeals

Criminal/Appellate

(June 2011)  In a tragic case where a child died as a result of vicious physical abuse endured at the hand of the defendant’s boyfriend, the defendant was convicted for manslaughter and other charges, despite the fact that she was at work when the child was killed.  Matthew Hug appealed the conviction all the way to the highest court in the State of New York, the Court of Appeals.  First, Mr. Hug appealed the conviction to the Appellate Division and dismissed a count of manslaughter.  With other convictions still remaining, Matthew Hug appealed the case to the Court of Appeals and, won, securing a reversal of the defendant’s conviction for reckless endangerment.  People v. Lewie.

Reversed Conviction for Assault on a Police Officer

Criminal/Appellate

(June 2011)  The defendant – a female – was convicted after trial on allegations that after she came to the aid of her brother that was first attacked by a gang of bigots and then roughed up by the police, she inadvertently kicked a responding officer in the groin while she was being held off the ground, against her will, by a bouncer outside of a tavern.  The defendant received a withering prison sentence.  After two other attorneys told her that there was nothing that could be done, she retained Matthew Hug.  Mr. Hug successfully argued that she was deprived of a fair trial by the trial court’s refusal to read a lesser included offense to the jury.  The Appellate court reversed her conviction and returned her case to the trial court.  Mr. Hug continued to represent the defendant and negotiated her immediate release and an end to her prison term.

Reversed Conviction for Reckless Endangerment in First Degree

Criminal/Appellate

(Mar. 2010)  Matthew Hug appealed defendant’s conviction that arose after he engaged in a mid-day shoot-out in the City of Schenectady and, convinced the appellate court to reverse his conviction for reckless endangerment in the first degree.

Won Major Constitutional Case before NY Court of Appeals

Constitutional Law /Appellate

(May 2009)  In the most important constitutional case of the 21st century, Matthew Hug convinced the NYS Court of Appeals that police must get a warrant before they attach a GPS monitoring device to a citizen’s car and track his movements.  The case was essentially the first of its kind in the United States and, was later cited by the United States Supreme Court.  In conjunction with the ACLU, NYCLU, NADCL and numerous other religious and civil liberties organizations, Matthew Hug argued that the government should not be permitted to track their vehicular movements.  Preventing a Big Brother society, Matthew Hug was successful before the Court of Appeals in a case that had received national media attention.

Reversed Conviction of First Degree Rape and Other Charges

Criminal/Appellate

(Feb. 2009)  Reversed conviction based upon argument that the defendant did not receive a fair trial where the prosecutor introduced evidence of uncharged crimes and alleged bad acts.  Matthew Hug successfully argued that the series of errors committed at trial required that the defendant’s conviction be reversed.  After the reversal, the defendant’s sentence was reduced from 50 years to 5 years

Reversed Conviction for Drug Possession at NY Court of Appeals

Criminal/Appellate

(Feb. 2009)  Matthew Hug successfully argued, before the NYS Court of Appeals, that the defendant’s conviction for criminal possession of a controlled substance had to be reversed because, the police engaged in a body cavity search (finding the cocaine) without a warrant.  The Court of Appeals reversed the defendant’s conviction.

Reversed Conviction for Drug Possession

Criminal/Appellate

(June 2008)  Matthew Hug successfully argued that the warrantless search of defendant’s apartment was constitutionally defective and, that defendant’s conviction had to be reversed because, evidence of the fruits of the search were improperly admitted at trial.