Pleban & Associates Law

08/14/2026

The City of Florissant and former police officer Julian Alcala have agreed to pay $4 million to 24 victims. According to the press release from plaintiffs' attorneys, that is the full amount of insurance coverage the city had, meaning every available dollar went to the people who were harmed.

Between February and May 2024, Alcala pulled women over while on duty and in uniform, asked for their phones under the pretense of checking insurance, and searched them in his patrol car without a warrant. He photographed private images, forwarded videos to himself, and concealed the evidence before returning the phones. One victim noticed the deleted message and called the FBI. That single report led investigators to many more.

Alcala pleaded guilty to 20 federal civil rights counts, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, and has permanently surrendered his Missouri peace officer license.

Full story: https://plebanlaw.com/4-million-settlement-reached-in-florissant-police-cell-phone-search-case/

If a police officer violated your rights, the consultation is free.

plebanlaw.com | 314.645.6666

12/19/2025

Congrats to J.C. Pleban on his 2025 Super Lawyers selection. Only the top 5% of attorneys earn this recognition each year. 🏆

09/19/2025

Pleban & Associates filed a federal lawsuit that challenges the circumstances surrounding the November 2022 police shooting death of Taylor Shomaker, 32, during a standoff at his mother’s O’Fallon, Missouri home. The case centers on body camera and surveillance footage that attorneys claim contradicts official police reports about the incident.

https://plebanlaw.com/fatal-police-shooting-in-ofallon-sparks-federal-lawsuit-over-use-of-force/

03/06/2025

Proud to share that J.C. Pleban received recognition from Missouri Lawyers Weekly for the second-largest settlement in Missouri in 2024.

11/20/2024

We are proud to have helped our client reach a $17.5M settlement for wrongful death after bad faith failure to settle within policy limits.

10/29/2024

Attorney J.C. Pleban files lawsuit against former Florissant officer.

Another lawsuit has been filed against a former Florissant police officer

06/12/2024

Psychological injuries are increasingly recognized as significant components of personal injury claims—but, they present unique challenges.

Learn More: https://plebanlaw.com/how-much-are-psychological-injuries-worth/

06/04/2024

Complexity of the case and the severity of the injuries are two determining factors.

Learn More: https://plebanlaw.com/how-long-does-a-personal-injury-case-take/

05/31/2024

It’s important to seek professional advice in order to navigate insurance claims after an accident.

Learn More: https://plebanlaw.com/how-to-navigate-insurance-claims-after-an-accident/

11/17/2023

St. Charles County jury delivers $75 million verdict to the family of a man killed by a DWI suspect evading police.

https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/st-charles-county-jury-awards-family-of-man-killed-by-dwi-suspect-fleeing-police/63-62f90bff-d3d0-4f31-8bb2-6f9c49575528