ATTORNEY HAMILTON FILES FEDERAL HABEAS PETITION IN MURDER CASE

On May 28, 2010, Attorney, Duane M. Hamilton filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus with the United States Federal District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles. The petition is seeking the reversal of a defendant's February 2008 second degree murder conviction from which the defendant has exhausted all of his state court appeals. Mr. Hamilton's office did not represent the defendant in his state court proceedings.

By: Chow & Hamilton

BACK TO BACK IMMIGRATION COURT ASYLUM APPROVALS FOR KENYANS

On April 29 and April 30, 2010, Attorney Hamilton conducted consecutive asylum trials in San Diego and Los Angeles, California respectively, for two Kenyan clients. In addition to the merits of the asylum claims, both cases involved the presentation of theories which would excuse the applicants from the legalistic one-year filing requirement which mandates that asylum applicants file their claims within one year of their arrival in the United States. Judge Williams of San Diego presided over and approved the April 29 claim, and Judge Riley of Los Angeles approved the claim tried on April 30, 2010. Mr. Hamilton had represented one of these applicants for over two years and the other for over 5 years in their quests for asylum in the United States. Though lengthy, both clients have expressed their gratitude to the court, the government and to a process through which their freedom has been secured.

Maria Rangel.

HAMILTON WINS REOPENING OF KENYAN ASYLUM WHERE FINAL ORDER OF DEPORTATION AGAINST ALIEN IN PLACE SINCE 2003

On January 29, 2010, the BIA, pursuant to a motion to reopen and remand filed by attorney Hamilton, ordered reopening and remand to immigration court in an old asylum matter in which the native of Kenya had been in removal proceedings since mid 2000 and a final unappealed order of deportation entered against the alien since early 2003. The alien has thus been given a new opportunity to demonstrate her eligibilty for asylum and for any other relief which may be available in immigration court.

MORE NEWS ON OUR MOVE TO FULLERTON

We are happy to announce that we have completed our move to Fullerton. Our new address is 285 Imperial Highway, Suite 207, Fullerton, CA 92835. Our office numbers are (714)441-3400 (phone) and (714)441-3407 (fax). There is still some construction taking place in our new conference room and we have not yet received some of our furniture for the waiting room. Please bear with us as we settle into the new office.

FULLERLTON OFFICE UPDATE

The phone company is telling us that in spite of our opening date of Feb 1, 2010 at our new Fullerton office (as posted on Jan. 6, 2010), the new phone and fax system will not be operational until Feb. 3. Please continue to call us at our existing phone and fax numbers which will remain operational (and which we will continue to answer) until the new numbers are in effect. We will be winding down our affairs in Buena Park through the early part of February as we ramp up in Fullerton. Please don't panic if you cannot get through to the new numbers for a few days. You will be able to reach us.

HAMILTON PREVAILS IN DISMISSAL OF REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ALIEN CONVICTED OF BURGLARY

Attorney Hamilton was awarded a judgement of termination of "Removal Proceedings" today from a Los Angeles, California Immigration Judge (IJ), dismissing said proceedings which have been pending for the past almost two years, against a lawful permanent resident alien, who was alleged to have been convicted of burglary as a felony under California law and was facing deportation on the strength of this allegation. These Immigration Court proceedings involved numerous and sometimes lengthy and contentious court hearings against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over the past two years, and a complex series of briefs and oral arguments, in which Hamilton continuously and persistently attacked the charging document against the alien as being facially invalid. Ultimately the IJ found in favor of Hamilton and his client, stating that the Government, in its Notice to Appear, had indeed, not met its burden of sustaining removability against the alien, warranting a complete dismissal of the case, and sparing the alien from deportation and preserving said alien's lawful permanent residence. The Government reserved appeal.

CHOW & HAMILTON ANNOUNCES MOVE TO FULLERTON CALIFORNIA

Chow & Hamilton will be moving its practice as of February 1, 2010, from their present Buena Park location, to a new suite of offices located at 285 Imperial Highway, Ste. 207, Fullerton, CA 92835. The new office's phone number will be (714)441-3400 and the fax number will be (714)441-3407. The firm will be notifying its clients, agencies, courts, vendours and colleagues of this move throughout the month of January. This blog will officially list the new address in its "contact information section" on February 1, 2010.