Practice Areas: Criminal defense, DUI-DWI, White collar crimes; view more
Licensed in Iowa since: 2009
Education: Drake University Law School
Selected to Rising Stars: 2021 - 2022 Call today:
515-222-4330
Free Consultation Spellman Law. P.C.
4000 Westown PkwySuite 120
West Des Moines, IA 50266 Visit website
Details
Mary "Molly" Spellman works as a criminal defense attorney with Spellman Law, P.C., in West Des Moines, Iowa. She represents clients in the surrounding areas, assisting them with legal matters involving:
- Assault
- Drug defense
- Violent crimes
- White collar crimes
- DUI and DWI
- Felony offenses
Admitted to practice in Iowa and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Ms. Spellman earned her law degree from the Drake University Law School in 2009. While there, she was certified in constitutional law and civil rights, international and comparative law, and human rights. She was also the recipient of the Public Service Certificate. Moreover, she holds a B.A. in political science and international studies from The University of Iowa (2006).
Maintaining professional memberships in several prominent legal associations, Ms. Spellman is a member of The Iowa State Bar Association, the Polk County Bar Association, the American Bar Association and The C. Edwin Moore American Inn of Court. Furthermore, she is a board member of The Iowa Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and plays an active role in the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Legal Committee of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Ms. Spellman has been certified in administering standardized field sobriety tests in 2014. She has been rated “Excellent” on Avvo for her vast knowledge of the criminal law and is known among her peers as a dedicated attorney who aggressively fights for the rights of her clients. She has successfully advocated for several clients, helping them with reduction of penalties, charge dismissals and expungements.
Practice areas
Criminal defense, Criminal defense: DUI/DWI, Criminal defense: white collarFocus areas
Assault & battery, Drug & alcohol violations, Felony, DUI/DWI, White collar crime
- 50% Criminal defense
- 40% Criminal defense: DUI/DWI
- 10% Criminal defense: white collar
First Admitted: 2009, Iowa
Professional Webpage: https://www.spellmanlawpc.com/attorney/mary-k-spellman/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Member, Iowa State Bar Association, The Iowa State Bar Association is an organization that facilitates professional growth and collegiality among Iowa attorneys. Its mission is to “help Iowa attorneys succeed.” Benefits of membership include: continuing legal education, practice aids, legal research, interaction with the judiciary and legislature and access to publications regarding news and developments impacting the profession
- American Bar Association
- Polk County Bar Association
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa
- Iowa, 2009
- Barrister, C. Edwin Moore Inn of Court, Des Moines, Iowa The American Inns of Court inspire the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring
- Board Member: Iowa Association for Justice Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer Core Group https://www.iowajustice.org/?pg=bylaws to uphold and defend the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Iowa; to advance the science of jurisprudence; to train in all fields and phases of advocacy; to promote the administration of justice for the public good; to uphold the honor and dignity of the profession of law; and, especially, to advance the cause of those who are damaged in person or property and who must seek redress therefore; to encourage friendship among the members of the bar; and to uphold and improve the adversary system and the right of trial by jury.
- Iowa Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (IACDL), including presenter/speaker for Continuing Legal Education (CLE), 2020
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
- NORML Legal Committee (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
Educational Background:
- The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, Bachelors of Arts - Political Science; International Studies, 2006
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Public Service Certificate, 2009
- Certified in administering standardized field sobriety tests, 2014
- International & Comparative Law & Human Rights Certificate, 2009
- Constitutional Law & Civil Rights Certificate, 2009
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Empirical analyses of domestic legal traditions in the social science literature demonstrate that common law states have better economic freedoms, stronger investor protection, more developed capital markets, and better property rights protection than states with civil law, Islamic law, or mixed legal traditions. This article expands upon the literature by examining the relationship between domestic legal traditions and human rights practices. The primary hypothesis is that common law states have better human rights practices on average than civil law, Islamic law, or mixed law states because the procedural features of common law such as the adversarial trial system, the reliance on oral argumentation, and stare decisis result in greater judicial independence and protection of individual rights in these legal systems. We also examine how the quality of a state’s legal system influences repression focusing on colonial legacy, judicial independence, and the rule of law. A global cross-national analysis of state-years from 1976 to 2006 shows that states with common law traditions engage in better human rights practices than states with other legal systems. This result holds when controlling for the quality of the legal system and standard explanations for states’ human rights practices (economic growth, regime type, population size, military regime, and war involvement), Co-Author, Domestic legal traditions and states’ human rights practices, Journal of Peace Research , Law, Legal, Human Rights, 2013
Verdicts/Settlements:
- State v. Salcedo, 935 N.W. 572 (Iowa 2019) - unanimous Iowa Supreme Court Decision reversing judgment of the district court denying Defendant's motion to suppress all evidence including more than 80 pounds of marijuana, stemming from a stop of his vehicle, holding that the district court erred in finding that the deputy developed reasonable suspicion of other criminal activity before unreasonably prolonging the stop. This was granted on interlocutory appeal, following the district court's denial of defendant's motion to suppress. Oral arguments were granted in this case. Case subsequently dismissed following the reversal, 2019
- 3/31/21: State v. Koster, OWCR012941, Carroll County: Operating While Intoxicated, First Offense (punishable by 1 year) dismissed, following a successfully argued Motion to Reconsider earlier denial of Motion to Suppress evidence (Motion to Expand/Reconsider granted and case subsequently dismissed). Defendant had a commercial driver's license in addition to normal driver license, both of which will be reinstated, 2021
- 3/29/21: State v. Beganovic, OWOM089425, Polk County, Iowa: Operating While Intoxicated (OWI ) dismissed following Court's granting of Motion to Suppress. Defendant had a commercial driver's license in addition to normal driver license, both of which will be reinstated, 2021
- 3/31/21: State v. Adams, Case Number SRCR012989, Carroll County, Iowa: Two Class D Felony charges (punishable each by an indeterminate sentence of five years) dismissed, 2021
- 2/4/2021: State v. Hackbarth, Case Number SRCR343781, Polk County, Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Injury charge (punishable by one year) dismissed, 2021
- State v. Kruger: Three separate counties (Plymouth, O'Brien, Osceola): defendant had Class D Possession of Methamphetamines charges in each of the three counties, each punishable by five years; defendant had lengthy criminal record including recent probation revocation; secured global plea deal between all three counties,, which the Court adopted, for an agreement for probation (no prison) with drug court rehabilitation, and charges in Osceola charges were dismissed, 2021
- State v. Kores, Case Number SMAC391519, Polk County: theft 5th degree charged dismissed; court subsequently granted motion for early expungement in advance of 180 waiting period, 2021
- State v. Ravens, Case Number SMAC392358, Polk County: theft 5th degree charged dismissed; court subsequently granted motion for early expungement in advance of 180 waiting period, 2021
- 2/16/21: State v. Moffitt, Case Number OWCR043253, Dallas County: Operating While Intoxicated amended to Public Intoxication with fine, and Interference with Official Acts charge dismissed; secured Court Order suppressing "refusal" of chemical test, which allowed me to petition the Iowa Department of Transportation to re-instate defendant's driving privileges and remove the revocation from his driving record, 2021
- State v. Satterthwaite, Case Number SRCR012497, Chickasaw County: Possession of Marijuana dismissed; client pleaded to simple misdemeanor paraphernalia charge with a fine (no jail, no probation) following prosecutor's acknowledgement of unlawful extended detention and questioning without probable cause or reasonable suspicion, 2021
- State v. Norris, Case Number OWCR021903, Guthrie County: OWI 1st amended to Public Intoxication following Court's granting of defendant's Motion to Suppress, which suppressed breath test result. OWI was charge was lifetime OWI 3rd. Client to be fined (no probation, no jail), 2021
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" - Spellman Law, P.C. ranked as Tier 1 in Criminal Defense: General Practice, 2021
Office location for Mary Spellman
4000 Westown Pkwy
Suite 120
West Des Moines, IA 50266
Phone: 515-222-4330
Selections
2 Years Rising Stars
- Rising Stars: 2021 - 2022
