Managing Partner Michael Wildes is pleased to announce that Josh Wildes was recently engaged by the U.S. Armed Forces Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps to serve as an Expert Consultant and Expert Witness in the field of Immigration Law for a General Court Martial Proceeding at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) near Tacoma, Washington.
In early 2024, Josh was contacted by JAG attorneys (lawyers for the U.S. Army) to provide expert guidance on immigration-related issues in a case involving a soldier stationed at JBLM. The soldier was facing multiple criminal charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), including Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Obstruction of Justice, and Violating a Protection Order. Given the significant immigration law implications for both the accused soldier and the alleged victim, the Military initially appointed Josh as an Expert Consultant to assist the Defense Team in preparing for and during the trial.
The trial was scheduled for the final week of October 2024, and the Military required Josh to attend the entire proceedings. He stayed on the army base, which sits at the foot of Mount Rainier and its National Park, for the full week, where he served as a key member of the Defense Team in court. On the first day of the trial, a jury panel of eight members was selected to ultimately render a verdict. These jurors, all decorated military personnel with high ranks such as Colonel, were in full formal uniform throughout the trial. The remaining days of the week saw the Prosecutors present their case, followed by the Defense’s presentation, all of which included various witness testimony and complex legal arguments.
Ultimately, Josh was called to testify as an Expert Witness to help the jury better understand the immigration consequences related to the case. The Military Judge qualified him as an Expert Witness in Immigration Law, with no objections from the Prosecutors. Josh spent nearly an hour and a half on the witness stand, answering questions during both direct examination by the Defense and cross-examination by the Prosecutors. His testimony provided an overview of key immigration law topics relevant to the case, including Adjustment of Status, Family-Based Petitions, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and Naturalization through Military Service, among others. After Josh’s expert testimony, the jury retired to deliberate in private. A few hours later, they returned to the courtroom and delivered a Not Guilty verdict on all charges and their specifications. In other words, Josh and the Defense Team succeeded in defending their client’s rights.
We’d like to extend a special shoutout to Captain Quvus, the JAG attorney representing the accused, as well as Cody Harnish, the Civilian Defense Counsel (CDC) on the case. Additionally, we want to congratulate Josh on the significant achievement of being qualified as both an Expert Witness and Expert Consultant in Immigration Law.
Wildes & Weinberg was founded in 1960 by Senior Partner, Leon Wildes. Nearly three quarters of a century later, the firm continues to concentrate its practice in all aspects of U.S. immigration and nationality law, servicing the immigration requirements of prominent American and International firms, banks, industrial, financial, and manufacturing concerns, as well as law firms in connection with the personnel needs of their foreign national employees.
In addition, the firm has a distinguished clientele and has done substantial immigration work for performing artists, directors, writers, models, actors/actresses, athletes, fine artists, art dealers, curators, and literary agents. Most notable was Leon Wildes’ successful representation of former Beatle John Lennon and his artist wife, Yoko Ono in their deportation proceedings, the basis of which has inspired legislation, and has been portrayed in films, plays, and literary works worldwide. Some of the firm’s other distinguished clients include scholar Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z”l), as well as soccer icon Pele, Master Chef Jean-Georges, musicians Sinead O’ Connor and Boy George, as well as Former First Lady Melania Trump and her family.
Michael Wildes, the firm’s Managing Partner, is also currently serving his fourth term as Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, is the author of Safe Haven in America: Battles to Open the Golden Door (which draws on over a quarter of a century of his practice in the immigration field), is an Adjunct Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, and serves as Counsel to Lincoln Center and several international/corporate law firms.
Prior to joining the firm, Josh Wildes worked as an Attorney Advisor in the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review at the Miami Immigration Court, where he was originally hired as a Judicial Law Clerk through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. He also served as a Legal Intern for the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Chief Counsel, as well as for the Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (Civil Division). Josh is admitted to practice law in the States of New York, New Jersey, and Florida, as well as immigration courts around the country, is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and was selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Immigration in 2024.
Despite difficulties currently being encountered in dealing with U.S. immigration authorities, the firm has maintained an extraordinary track record for success in its cases. The firm’s litigation group has expanded its efforts in filing Mandamus Actions and other Actions in Federal Courts throughout the nation.
In addition, Wildes & Weinberg’s multilingual staff is spread throughout its offices in New York City, Englewood, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and by appointment only in Los Angeles, California and Tel Aviv, Israel, and are known for their experience and special expertise in processing each foreign national’s case with nothing less than the highest level of professionalism.
For more information on our firm please visit www.wildeslaw.com To contact Josh Wildes, feel free to email him at josh@wildeslaw.com.