Cooper Offenbecher

Partner
Cooper@ahmlawyers.com

Cell Phone: 206-595-2439

Cooper Offenbecher is a partner in the firm.  Cooper represents clients in criminal investigations and prosecutions in state and federal court, including white collar crimes, violent offenses, and the broad spectrum of other serious criminal offenses.  His practice includes investigative, trial, appellate, and post-conviction proceedings. 

Cooper began his career at The Defender Association, where he quickly established himself as a dynamic and successful trial lawyer.   During one trial week in his third month at the public defender's office, Cooper tried three domestic violence criminal jury trials back to back to back, obtaining complete acquittals in each case.  During a stint in municipal court as a young public defender, Cooper took three Driving under the Influence cases to jury trial - winning not guilty verdicts in all three cases.

Cooper carried this zealous advocacy into private practice, joining the firm in 2010 and becoming a partner in 2015.  He has successfully tried numerous jury trials and has earned not guilty verdicts, dismissals, and other exceptional results for many clients accused of a wide range of criminal charges.  Cooper has also provided counsel and advocacy for many individuals under investigation by law enforcement, where no criminal charges were ultimately filed.

Cooper received his law degree in 2008 from the University of Washington School of Law. While in law school, Cooper served as the Editor in Chief of the Shidler Journal of Law, Commerce & Technology. He was a member of the Moot Court Honor Board and was awarded the Order of the Barristers for Excellence in oral and written advocacy.

Prior to law school, Cooper received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology from Connecticut College in 2004, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. Cooper was also the Captain of his intercollegiate sailing team and received the award as the top male student-athlete of his graduating class.
 

Recognitions

"Super Lawyer," Super Lawyers magazine (2019-2023)

"Rising Star," Super Lawyers magazine (2013-2018)

Certificates of Appreciation, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2017; 2022)

Leadership

Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Board of Governors, President-Elect (2023-Present); Vice President-West (2022-2023); Treasurer (2021-2022); Secretary (2020-2021).

Western District of Washington Criminal Justice Act Standing Committee (2021-Present)

 

Presentations

"Flipping the Script: with Seattle Times Crime Reporter Mike Carter," Panelist, Navigating the Media Landscape as a Defense Lawyer, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (October 2022)

"Reshaping the Narrative through Aggressive Pretrial Litigation and Discovery," Sex Offense Defense, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (October 2018)

"Investigating and Preparing a Criminal Case," Criminal Law Boot Camp, Washington State Bar Association (2012)

Education

J.D., University of Washington, 2008.  Order of the Barristers; Moot Court Honor Board.

B.A., English and Sociology, awarded summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Connecticut College, 2004.

Publications

Border Searches of Laptop Computers after U.S. v. Arnold: Implications for Traveling Professionals, 5 Shidler J. L. Com. & Tech. 9 (2008).

DWLS: A Ticket to Debtor's Prison? King County Bar Bulletin (April 2008).

Admitting Computer Record Evidence after In re Vinhnee: A Stricter Standard for the Future?, 4 Shidler J. L. Com. & Tech. 6 (2007).

Selected Cases

Not Guilty Verdicts

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdicts on two counts of Attempted Rape of a Child in the Second Degree in a "Net Nanny" sting operation case run by undercover Washington State Patrol detectives; Cooper's client was charged in Pierce County Superior Court and found not guilty by the jury of both attempted rape charges, while a third count of felony Communicating with a Minor for Immoral Purposes was dismissed after the jury hung with an 8/4 split among the jurors in favor of not guilty)

State v. Client (not guilty verdicts on two counts of Robbery in the First Degree; client was accused by the prosecution of aiding and abetting a robbery in which the principal had previously pleaded guilty to committing the same robbery with a firearm; Cooper's client was found not guilty on all counts at trial)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on felony Assault in the Second Degree - Domestic Violence, which the State had charged alternatively as both allegations of strangulation and substantial bodily harm due to an alleged concussion; not guilty jury verdict on felony Unlawful Imprisonment - Domestic Violence; not guilty jury verdict on Interfering with Domestic Violence Reporting; client found guilty only of lesser gross misdemeanor offense of Assault in the Fourth Degree Domestic Violence and received a sentence of community service; Cooper presented evidence that his client acted in self-defense and through cross-examination undermined the State's evidence - which included an both an expert witness on strangulation, and also an emergency room doctor - regarding the claims of strangulation and concussion)

City of Lake Forest Park v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Domestic Violence Assault charge; Cooper's client was accused of punching and kicking a family member who sustained a black eye and cracked tooth; Cooper presented evidence that his client -- who had no injuries -- acted in self-defense when the alleged victim -- who was intoxicated -- initiated the physical altercation; the jury returned a not guilty verdict)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Domestic Violence Assault charge; an eyewitness testified that Cooper's client threw a walker at a family member, hitting her in the head; the police testified that the alleged victim had a bump on her head; Cooper presented evidence that his client had not acted intentionally; the jury returned a not guilty verdict)

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City v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Assault and Battery)

City of Kent v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Violation of an Anti-Harassment Court Order criminal charge; Cooper's client was accused of a crime for attending a school event in violation of a court order directing him to remain a certain distance away from a faculty member; Cooper's defense raised questions about the interpretation of the order and whether his client even knew that the faculty member was at the event; jury reached a not guilty verdict after approximately 25 minutes of deliberations)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Unlawful Display of a Firearm; prosecution alleged that Cooper's client stopped his car abruptly on a state highway and pointed a loaded gun at occupants of a car that was allegedly tailgating; Cooper and his client maintained that the client's actions were justified because they were done in self-defense; the jury found Cooper's client not guilty of the firearm charge; Cooper's client was convicted only of Reckless Driving and received a deferred sentence)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdicts on all charges of Assault, Harassment, and Criminal Trespass)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Assault charge)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Possession of a Dangerous Weapon charge)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Domestic Violence Assault charge)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdicts on charges of Domestic Violence Assault and Interfering with Domestic Violence Reporting)

State v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Violation of a Domestic Violence No Contact Order)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Assault charge)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on one count of Assault; jury hung 3-3 on second count of Assault)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdicts on both Driving under the Influence and Physical Control of a Motor Vehicle while under the Influence)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Driving under the Influence charge)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Driving under the Influence charge)

City of Seattle v. Client (not guilty jury verdict on Driving while License Suspended in the Second Degree)

Of course, every case is different.  These favorable results in past matters do not guarantee similar results in any future matter.

Selected Dismissals 

State v. Client (Manslaughter charge dismissed; Cooper represented a Site Manager at a large construction company who had been charged with Manslaughter in the Second Degree based on alleged criminal negligence related to a construction accident and the death of a worker; Cooper prepared and argued a "Knapstad" motion to dismiss, explaining that there was insufficient evidence to establish that Cooper's client "proximately caused" the death, and that intervening factors precluded criminal charges; the Court agreed and dismissed the case against Cooper's client, and also dismissed related manslaughter charges against three other defendants - other supervisors/workers - who had joined Cooper's motion).

State v. Client (Attempted Murder and Assault in the First Degree charge dismissed; Cooper's client shot his stepson in the face with a handgun after the stepson attacked him; the prosecution dismissed the case after Cooper presented substantial evidence supporting his client's self-defense claim)

State v. Client (Rape in the Second Degree charge dismissed; client was accused of raping a fellow college student; case dismissed following extensive defense investigation and witness interviews supported Cooper's client's claims, and undermined the complainant's credibility)

State v. Client (Perjury and False Swearing charges against Cooper's client, an attorney, after the Court granted Cooper's motion to dismiss on the grounds that the prosecutor had violated the appearance of fairness doctrine, and also that there was insufficient evidence) 

State v. Client (Child Molestation and Sexual Misconduct with a Minor Charges Dismissed; Cooper's client was an athletic coach who was accused of molesting two of his female athletes; the prosecution dismissed the case after Cooper presented substantial evidence undermining the allegations)

State v. Client (two counts of felony Assault in the Second Degree - Domestic Violence and one count of Interfering with Domestic Violence Reporting dismissed after Cooper's investigation raised serious questions about complainant's credibility; notably, Cooper's investigation revealed that the police had failed to note in their reports the presence of a third-party witness, who confirmed during Cooper's subsequent interview that the complainant had intentionally thrown herself on the ground during an argument with Cooper's client) 

State v. Client (three counts of Rape of a Child in the First Degree dismissed; Cooper's client was accused of raping his step-daughter; the prosecution dismissed the case after Cooper and co-counsel presented the State with information from an expert witness indicated that the complainant's accusation was an unreliable "recovered memory")

State v. Client (Assault in the Third Degree charges dismissed; Cooper and co-counsel represented a client who was charged with assaulting two police officers, and had previously been convicted at trial while represented by different counsel; after being remanded for a new trial, Cooper and co-counsel took over the case and filed a motion arguing that the prosecutor's decision to hold another trial -- in light of the fact that the prosecutor had previously attempted to dismiss the case before receiving an unfavorable appellate ruling -- constituted prosecutorial vindictiveness; the Grant County Superior Court agreed with the defense motion and dismissed the case)

State v. Client (felony Assault in the Second Degree Domestic Violence charge dismissed after Cooper traveled to Illinois to complete interview of complainant and conducted significant background investigation on complainant and additional witness interviews to support client's claim of self-defense)

State v. Client (firearm possession charge dismissed; engineering executive accidentally passed through airport security with a firearm in his carry-on luggage; Criminal case dismissed after payment of a civil fine)

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City of Seattle v. Client (Attorney charged with assaulting firefighter; before the first hearing, Cooper highlighted video evidence to the prosecutor showing that Cooper's client was going through a mental health crisis, raised questions about the sufficiency of the evidence, and explained that the prosecution was not justified; case dismissed before the first court appearance)

State v. Client (felony Assault in the Second Degree and Malicious Harassment charges dismissed after witness interviews and significant background investigation of State witnesses supported Cooper's client's claim of self-defense)

City of Seattle v. Client (Client charged with assaulting hotel manager during a mental health episode; Case dismissed after Cooper interviewed hotel manager and presented information to the prosecutor explaining why prosecution was not justified)

City of Seattle v. Client (Assault charge dismissed following completion of Cooper's defense interview of complainant)

City of Seattle v. Client (Assault with Sexual Motivation charge dismissed after Cooper provided medical records raising doubts about his client's culpability for the alleged offense)

City of Sammamish v. Client (Violation of No-Contact Order charge dismissed following completion of Cooper's defense interview of complainant)

City of Redmond v. Client (Assault of a Child charge dismissed by prosecutor after Cooper filed a pre-trial motion to dismiss on grounds that there was insufficient evidence for a jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt that his client committed a crime)

State v. Client (Harassment charge dismissed after the Court granted the defense motion to suppress evidence, finding Cooper's client had been unlawfully arrested; the prosecution accused client of threatening a casino security guard; this case involved a full year of litigation; Cooper became admitted in tribal court and filed numerous pleadings in order to successfully obtain personnel records of the casino witness, which once obtained, demonstrated the witness' misconduct and undermined the credibility of the witness which led to the dismissal of the case)

Of course, every case is different.  These favorable results in past matters do not guarantee similar results in any future matter.

Selected "No Charges Filed"

No charges filed (physician investigated for felony assault of step-child; prosecutor declines to file charges following submission of defense investigation information undermining complainant's credibility)

No charges filed (18-year-old investigated for Vehicular Homicide and Vehicular Assault for automobile/pedestrian accident after all night high school graduation party that left one jogger dead and another jogger paralyzed from neck down; toxicology results revealed no drugs or alcohol; the investigation centered on alleged drowsy driving; following a meeting with Cooper and an exhaustive analysis of the evidence, applicable law, and cases from other jurisdictions, the elected county prosecutor concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish that Cooper's client was actually aware of his level of fatigue, and that he consciously chose to disregard the safety of others; prosecutor declined to file criminal charges)

No charges filed (police department submitted a charging referral to the prosecutor for Rape of a Child in the First Degree based on claims that Cooper's 18-year-old client committed sexual offenses when he was younger; Cooper outlined in a letter to the prosecutor why prosecution was precluded because the case had been investigated with no charges filed years earlier; prosecutor declined criminal charges)

No charges filed (United States military agent investigated Cooper's client, an Army Captain, for an alleged sexual assault against a fellow service member; Cooper investigated the case and sent a letter to the agent and military prosecutor outlining the evidence that discredited the claims; military prosecutor found that probable cause did not exist to proceed with miltary charges and closed the case)

No charges filed (young parents investigated by CPS and Seattle Police following the discovery of rib fractures in their infant child, which raised local pediatric hospital's suspicion of non-accidental trauma; CPS case and criminal investigation closed with no adverse findings)

No charges filed; University dismisses emergency suspension (law student arrested for investigation of felony domestic violence assault and robbery; Cooper sent email to the prosecutor's office explaining complainant's mental instability and criminal history; prosecutor declined to file criminal charges; Cooper sent a letter to the University outlining the preliminary defense investigation and prosecutor's decision; the University revoked a previously-imposed emergency suspension and reinstated full access to campus)

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No charges filed (provided advice, consultation, and investigation for a young adult who was investigated by police for alleged sexual assault occuring six years earlier at a high school prom after-party involving alcohol; prosecutor reviewed case and declined to file charges)

No charges filed (mother investigated by CPS and Seattle Police following discovery of a leg fracture on an x-ray of her toddler that raised suspicion of potential child abuse and resulted in child being placed outside the family home; Cooper submitted letter to CPS investigator and detective outlining the absence of any evidence that the injuries were caused by abuse, and including information about recogonized accidental "Toddler Fractures"; CPS case closed with an "unfounded" finding and prosecutor reviewed case and declined criminal charges)

No charges filed (college student investigated for allegation of sexual assault by woman he met on Tinder; Cooper provided the detective a detailed analysis of text and chat messages that demonstrated the complainant had sought a sexual relationship with the client and had sent him nude photos; prosecutor declined to file criminal charge)

Of course, every case is different.  These favorable results in past matters do not guarantee similar results in any future matter.

Post-Conviction Matters

State v. Client (Superior Court reversed client's conviction for child molestation and granted a new trial, finding that the client's prior attorney had provided ineffective assistance of counsel; client's conviction for a Class A felony sex offense was vacated, and the client subsequently accepted a plea bargain on a gross misdemeanor offense)(with co-counsel David Allen)

City of Seattle v. Client (Superior Court reversed convictions for Hit and Run and Assault, finding that the prosecution had improperly commented on the client's Fifth Amendment constitutional rights during a previous trial where the client had been represented by a different attorney)

Of course, every case is different.  These favorable results in past matters do not guarantee similar results in any future matter.

Read more

Civil Case Dismissals

Cooper represented defendants in a Federal civil Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO") lawsuit involving allegations Cooper's client had unlawfully trafficked in automobiles, committed mail fraud, and committed other violations. The lawsuit was dismissed after the federal judge granted Cooper's motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)).

Cooper represented defendants in a civil lawsuit involving allegations that Cooper's clients committed Abuse of Process, Civil Conspiracy, and Defamation. The lawsuit was dismissed after Cooper filed a Motion to Dismiss under the former "Anti-SLAPP" statutes. Cooper's clients were awarded monetary penalties, plus attorneys' fees.

Civil protection order petition dismissed (client's adult daughter filed a civil petition alleging acts of domestic violence by Cooper's client; court dismissed the petition following a full hearing, finding that the petitioner had not established by a preponderance of the evidence that domestic violence occurred)

Of course, every case is different.  These favorable results in past matters do not guarantee similar results in any future matter.

Read more

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