Kokosa Law Firm, P.C.

03/19/2024

I have to make a bail argument later this week for a client charged with welfare fraud (don't worry, there was no victim). The court set bail at $50k, cash or bond. My client can only come up with a bond for $10k. Here's my thoughts to get the bail lower... 1) Argue that my client could put up their new Silverado which has a face value of $65k, but they still owe $67k bc they are upside down on it and "technically" only own the title, 2) Explain to the Court that I tried my best to get a bond, but nothing was working because they wanted a cosigner that actually had $50k in cash or liquid assets and the best the client could do was get his kid to say that she can come up with it but needs some time, or 3) my client could commit a physically harmless act, but gets him the $50k, albeit illegally (and he would only take it from idiots). How would you advise?

07/14/2023

STORY TIME! I must digress at first, I have an awesome P*P, Dr. Lieu literally calls me at home to check on my blood pressure and he is the absolute best. But, I started thinking, what if they aren't all like that. Worse, I have 2 clients with an issue with one specific doctor who will not be named. So, here's the problem with all this: 1) If I have an issue with my "barber" I can fill out a NYS form, anonymously, 2) submit it anonymously, and 3) not expect anyone to harass me.

Now, I have two clients that have problems with the same Doctor because he plays touchy feely based on his wife's practice that allows it. If you want to complaint, the NYS forms require that the first thing you have to do is out yourself- name and address. Then, you need witnesses (preferably 2 at minimum according to NYS but they give you extra paper just in case 43 people were in the room for your medical exam). They then need your date of birth. And then they need to know if you filed the complaint with any other State or Federal agencies. And then you cannot file it digitally, they need you to mail a hard copy to the Riverview Intake Center, whatever that is.

I know only three things from all this... the medical lobby has way too much control over medical dumbassery, I have a great doctor that I would not ever want to trade places with because he has more stress than I do, but most importantly, that y'all smart people need to start doing a database like those kids at Spotlight did in Boston, because I think the data will astound people.

I Know no one will likely read this, so I want everyone to know that the best fade I ever got was from Kyle Williams at Golden Blades. The man spent 45 minutes on the back of my head 🙂

04/19/2022

04/10/2021

https://www.facebook.com/159658557547960/posts/1723664771147323/

The disadvantaged pay the price for an elitist legal system.

07/04/2020

So I was watching the Blackfoot protest tonight at Mt. Rushmore, and it made me think a bit how this would play out in New York State if everyone played by the rules and followed the law. Essentially, playing the NYS version of the devils advocate.

Here, unlawful assembly requires an element of inciting violent or tumultuous behavior. Inciting to riot, same. Despite what the police say, if you were to say, obstruct traffic by lying face down in a road, the best you would be looking at is a traffic ticket or disorderly conduct- non-criminal violations. Sure, they could arrest you... but if they give you the traffic ticket version, it's a perfunctory arrest which is not valid unless it's what the police do on a regular basis. If they arrest you for disorderly conduct, then there's got to be a little bit more of explaining by the police because (let's be real) most disorderly conduct tickets in our state, where only discon is alleged, involve being intoxicated. Again, possibly a perfunctory arrest. Never the less, a desk ticket by law.

So, if the Blackfoot tribe was to block traffic on a road in and out of a State park in NY, and they laid face down on the road, and there were 1000 of them, yes, they would all get arrested and get an appearance ticket. But, then 1000 of them would show up for Court, in a system that is not designed for 1000 people to actually show up, plead not-guilty, and request trials. So the system gets overloaded... because it has become so used to 99% of people taking a plea bargain, paying a fine, and going home. In NY, out of 1000 people arrested for disorderly conduct, I've only seen one go to jail, and that was because he habitually threw oranges at cars. With life and experience behind me, I now realize he got the 15 day sentence because mental health wasn't appreciated by the law, and the judge knew he would get the only help afforded to him if he put him in jail.

So, I guess my devil's advocate opinion is that if you think the system has cracks, and you hate getting screwed by the system, then use the system to your advantage... While everyone bi***es and moans about rich folk getting their way in law, it's only because they exploit the law. I bitch all the time about folks not taking advantage of the 14th, maybe now is the time. (Also, I'm not advocating the blocking of traffic, people can die in a traffic jam. I just want the public to know that the police don't actually learn the law in 6 months as I've seen in memes, they learn it in 28 1-hour credits in that 6 months. The majority of the rest of it is how to control a confrontation).

11/02/2018

HUDSON — A Stuyvesant woman has been acquitted of putting out ci******es on the hands of a 7-year-old child in Columbia County Court.

05/17/2018

Heard this guy was a lawyer. Apparently such a good lawyer that he couldn't comprehend that the people he was accusing of being welfare leeches were, quite literally, at work.

A man berated employees and customers for speaking Spanish in a New York restaurant, describing them as undocumented and threatening to call immigration officials on them in a rant captured on...