JOY AND MICHAEL HOGAN FEDERAL TRIAL SLATED TO START IN TWO & HALF WEEKS, BUT MRS. HOGAN SEEKS DELAY DUE TO HER HAVING TO HIRE NEW LAWYER
Joy Hogan, the wife of Lawrence County Attorney Michael Hogan, both of whom are charged in a federal indictment with wire fraud involving delinquent tax and child support payments, has asked for another continuance in their trial.
Joy Hogan and Michael Hogan’s trial is scheduled for January 2022 in U.S. District Court, but Joy Hogan has asked a federal judge for a continuance to allow her new attorney time to review the case.
The motion, filed by Joy Hogan’s new attorney, Michael B. Fox. of Olive Hill, KY., also seeks an extension of time in which Mrs. Hogan “may file defensive motions, elect to file a motion for re-arraignment and receive credit for a timely acceptance of responsibility in this matter.”
The request noted that the deadline to file defensive motions was December 17, which was when the motion was filed.
Michael Fox said in the motion that he was recently retained as Joy Hogan’s counsel and filed an entry of appearance on December 14, necessitated by Joy Hogan’s original attorney, Mark Wohlander, having to withdraw as her representing attorney due to medical issues.
“The undersigned has received the discovery in this case from Attorney Wohlander but has not yet had the opportunity to review the majority of the discovery,” Michael Fox said in the motion.
“Without an adequate opportunity to review, investigate or consider discovery counsel is unable to determine whether defensive motions are appropriate or necessary, or to advise his client how to proceed in the matter,” Mr. Fox further wrote in the motion.
Michael Fox added in the written motion by saying; “Given the seriousness of the crime and the length of a potential sentence of incarceration the additional time requested is necessary to fully evaluate the consequences of a plea or proceeding to trial.”
Michael Fox said that federal prosecutors and Michael Hogan’s lawyer did not object to the continuance motion filed for Joy Hogan.
Joy & Michael Hogan were originally scheduled to stand trial this past August 2021, but the date was continued to Tuesday, January 18, 2022, due to the complexity of the case for both sides involving the federal prosecutors and for the Hogan’s defense attorneys.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove had not ruled on the request as of this middle of the final December week of 2021.
