Joseph E. Richotte

• richotte@butzel.com
• P 248 258 1407
• F 248 258 1439
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Mr. Richotte dedicates his practice to vigorously defending against criminal and civil enforcement actions that threaten business interests and personal liberty.

White-Collar Criminal Defense and Civil Enforcement

Mr. Richotte regularly counsels corporations, executives, and other professionals who are under investigation or charged with white-collar crimes. His experience includes defending clients against accusations of complex domestic and international frauds, conspiracies, and regulatory offenses in the securities, banking, healthcare, automotive, and defense industries.

Mr. Richotte also regularly represents clients facing increasingly common parallel civil proceedings, such as SEC enforcement actions, NHTSA recalls, asset forfeitures, debarment actions, and private civil suits capitalizing on the government’s investigation.

Mr. Richotte has been honored four times by Michigan SuperLawyers as a “rising star” within the white-collar defense bar.

Representative Matters:

• In re Transamerica Search Warrant, No. 14-714135-FY (Mich. 18th Dist. Ct.), successfully quashed an out-of-state search warrant directed toward a financial institution.
• United States v. $149,572.63, No. 13-cv-12375 (E.D. Mich.), successfully resolved a civil asset forfeiture action tied to the Black Market Peso Exchange.
• People v. Richardson, No. 09-S-0691 (Mich. 19th Dist. Ct.), secured the dismissal of a felony embezzlement charge at the preliminary examination for lack of probable cause.
• Grievance Adm’r v. Capello, 08-111-GA (Mich. Atty. Discipline Bd.), secured acquittal on attorney ethics charges.
• United States v. Panyard, No. 07-cr-200307 (E.D. Mich.), secured a sentence 45% below the guideline range in an environmental fraud case.

Appellate Practice

Mr. Richotte is also a member of the Firm’s appellate practice. He focuses on criminal appeals, appeals from government enforcement actions, media appeals, and appeals in complex business litigation. He has been honored by DBusiness as a top appellate lawyer in Detroit.

Representative Matters:

• Kurns v. Railroad Friction Prods. Corp., No. 10-879 (U.S. Supreme Ct.), principal author of amicus brief favoring federal preemption of all state common-law claims for injuries caused by locomotive equipment.
• Bitterman v. Bolf, No. 151520 (Mich. Supreme Ct.), principal author of amicus brief favoring broad application of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act to delegates performing statutory functions on behalf of public bodies.
• Polytorx, LLC v. University of Michigan, Nos. 318151 and 320989 (Mich. Ct. App.), secured an interlocutory reversal of an adverse summary judgment ruling in a trade-secrets case that resulted in a pre-discovery judgment in favor of the University.
• Gary v. E! Networks Productions, LLC, No. 304720 (Mich. Ct. App.), successfully defended dismissal of a defamation action.

Media Practice

Mr. Richotte is also a member of the Firm’s media practice. He is Assistant General Counsel to the Michigan Press Association, and he represents national and local media organizations and journalists. He handles a broad array of media matters, including First Amendment cases, defamation actions, and open-government issues.

Representative Matters:

• Gary v. E! Networks Productions, LLC, No. 11-118563-CZ (Mich. Cir. Ct.), obtained pre-discovery dismissal of a defamation action.
• People v. Leist, No. 14-049-FY (Mich. Dist. Ct.), secured dismissal of a criminal action against a photographer filed in connection with photographs of an airplane crash site.

Education

Mr. Richotte attended Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan, where he graduated cum laude. He is a member of the Order of the Coif and Phi Beta Kappa.