At the December 2004 board meeting, the Board of Directors of WACDL voted to award the Martin Hanson Prize to the following criminal defense attorneys:

1. Michael Jackelen, Brookfield, for State v. Curry, 02-CF-384, Dodge County. Charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. Jury acquittal by reason of mental disease (disassociative state, post traumatic stress syndrome/blackout).
2. Christopher T. Wagner, Madison, for State v. Salm, 02-CF-106, Marquette County. Charged with two counts of negligent homicide operation of vehicle and two counts of hit and run homicide. Jury verdict for acquittal.
3. Christopher T. Wagner, Madison, for State v. Northam, 00-CF-101, Marquette County. Charged with delivery of oxycontin causing death. Motion to dismiss granted.
4. Leonard G. Adent, Waukesha, for State v. Riegel, 94-CF-387, Waukesha County. Charged with 1st degree intentional homicide. Jury verdict of not guilty.
5. Alex Flynn, Milwaukee, for State v. Hoepner, 97-CF-401, Washington County. Charged with party to the crime of first degree intentional homicide. Jury verdict of not guilty.
6. Deja Vishny, Milwaukee, for State vs. Rudolph, 03-CF-4694, Milwaukee County. Charged with intentional first degree homicide. Jury verdict of not guilty.

The Advocate’s Prize is awarded to those practitioners who have accomplished the rare and difficult task of winning a criminal homicide case. The reason for making the award is to give some recognition to the good work being done by members of the criminal defense bar in representing their clients. We are confident that most attorneys defending these serious charges do a good job regardless of the outcome, but we know that every attorney who secures an acquittal has done an outstanding job.

This prize is named for Martin Hanson, and that is meant as a compliment to the recipient. Martin Hanson was one of the finest criminal law advocates of his generation, and was a founding director of the Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association.

The Hanson is automatic for acquittal on any criminal homicide, and that in certain cases dismissals short of trial will be awarded based upon an evaluation of the merits by the directors from the district in which the dismissal was obtained. The Hanson is retroactive to Martin’s date of death in September of 1995.

The only way we have to learn of attorney eligible for the Martin Hanson Prize is for WACDL members across the state to nominate eligible recipients. Self-nominations are accepted.