Lise J. Gescheidt, Esq. Criminal Defense Lawyer- Providence

Lise J. Gescheidt has over thirty years' experience practicing law in the areas of criminal defense, parole, and selected areas of Family Court and civil litigation. She has represented clients in over one hundred jury trials in the Superior Courts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, as well as countless bench trials in the Family, District and Superior Courts. Her jury trial experience includes high-profile cases involving sex offenses, domestic violence, narcotics offenses, driving under the influence, robbery, conspiracy, racketeering and murder.

In addition to trial work, Ms. Gescheidt specializes in representing individuals before the Rhode Island Parole Board, including successful representation of a business executive convicted of triggering the credit union crisis in Rhode Island and of a judge convicted of corruption. She also works regularly with the administrators and legal counsel of the Department of Corrections to resolve issues concerning inmate classification and confinement.

Lise Gescheidt is in court almost every day. She is familiar with court personnel across the state, from court clerks to probation officers to judicial clerks to judges. She has a day-to-day working relationship with prosecuting agencies, including members of local police forces as well as attorneys in the Office of the Attorney General.

Once a client faces arrest, Ms. Gescheidt harnesses all available information in order to dissuade the prosecuting agency from commencing or continuing prosecution by presenting evidence favorable to the client. She works from day one with an investigator to develop factual and legal defenses that either negate guilt or mitigate punishment.

In many cases, she has provided a package of materials to prosecutors that has caused them to reconsider the wisdom of continued prosecution. Ms. Gescheidt routinely meets with complaining witnesses in an effort to reach a mutual resolution without initiation of charges.

Ms. Gescheidt appreciates how emotionally and financially devastating criminal litigation can be for clients and their families. She will make every effort to resolve the case at the earliest possible time, but if those efforts are unavailing, she is prepared to bring the full resources of the office to the courtroom for trial.

In the fall of 2008, following a five-week-long trial in the Family Court involving a custody dispute and allegations of child sexual abuse and neglect, Ms. Gescheidt won full exoneration of her client. Opposing counsel was a nationally known litigator of allegations of sexual abuse against fathers, who came to trial with a battery of doctors who testified against Ms. Gescheidt's client.

Ms. Gescheidt is also expert in developing and litigating medical and psychiatric defenses to criminal charges, with an extensive network of experts at her disposal. She has cross-examined neurosurgeons and presented medical experts to refute allegations of shaken baby syndrome. Ms. Gescheidt has worked with psychiatrists and psychologists presenting defenses involving diminished capacity, insanity, and parental alienation. She has also presented expert testimony from educators and psychologists concerning a client's mental inability to comprehend Miranda warnings.

Lise Gescheidt was a public defender for nine years, and was inducted into the Rhode Island Public Defender Hall of Fame for her outstanding work representing indigent offenders and her contributions to the development of the criminal law. In 1986, after leaving the Public Defender's Office (where she met her current partners), Ms. Gescheidt worked as an associate at Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, handling civil litigation. Ms. Gescheidt returned to the practice of criminal defense full-time in 1988, and has been professionally associated with C. Leonard O'Brien and John A. MacFadyen since that time, informally and now as partners.

In 2004, Ms. Gescheidt was inducted as a Fellow into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. In November 2007, she was evaluated by her peers as one of Rhode Island's seven best criminal defense attorneys according to Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.


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John A. MacFadyen, Esq. Lise J. Gescheidt, Esq. C. Leonard O'Brien, Esq. B. Jean Rosiello, Esq. Tamara A. Barney, Esq. Ellen Taylor, Legal Assistant Diane Patry, Office Manager PRACTICE AREAS Criminal Defense Parole Board Hearings Sex Offender Classification and Notification Hearings Traffic Tribunal Summonses Driving Under the Influence BAR ADMISSIONS Rhode Island (1977) Massachusetts (1977) Florida (1978) United States District Court, District of Rhode Island (1977) United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit (1979) EDUCATION Boston College Law School, J.D. (1977) Trinity College, Hartford, CT (1974) Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Gamma Mu BACKGROUND Partner, MacFadyen, Gescheidt & O'Brien, 2003-present Partner, Gescheidt & O'Brien, 1990-2003 Law Office of Lise Gescheidt, 1988-1990 Adler Pollock & Sheehan, Litigation Associate, 1986-1988 Rhode Island Office of the Public Defender, Senior Trial Attorney, 1977-1986 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2004-present President, Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2006-2008 Vice-President, Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2000-2006 Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1996-present Chair, Rhode Island Ethics Advisory Panel, 2005-present Member, Rhode Island Ethics Advisory Panel, 2000-present Founding Member, Roger Williams Inns of Court; President, 2005 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Member, Advisory Committee to Study Rule 404(b) of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence Member, Advisory Committee to Study Improvements in the Statewide Court System Member, Advisory Committee on Superior Court Rules of Criminal Procedure, 1998-present Member, Judicial Nominating Committee, 1994-1996 Member, Adult Correctional Institutions Women's Advisory Committee, 1995-1999 Member, Tiverton Zoning Board, 2006-present AWARDS / ACHIEVEMENTS Listed as one of Rhode Island's Top Seven Criminal Defense Attorneys by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine (2007)			Lise J. Gescheidt Attorney at Law Tel: 401.751.5090 Fax: 401.751.5096 email Lise J. Gescheidt
		Lise J. Gescheidt has over thirty years' experience practicing law in the areas of criminal defense, parole, and selected areas of Family Court and civil litigation. She has represented clients in over one hundred jury trials in the Superior Courts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, as well as countless bench trials in the Family, District and Superior Courts. Her jury trial experience includes high-profile cases involving sex offenses, domestic violence, narcotics offenses, driving under the influence, robbery, conspiracy, racketeering and murder. In addition to trial work, Ms. Gescheidt specializes in representing individuals before the Rhode Island Parole Board, including successful representation of a business executive convicted of triggering the credit union crisis in Rhode Island and of a judge convicted of corruption. She also works regularly with the administrators and legal counsel of the Department of Corrections to resolve issues concerning inmate classification and confinement. Lise Gescheidt is in court almost every day. She is familiar with court personnel across the state, from court clerks to probation officers to judicial clerks to judges. She has a day-to-day working relationship with prosecuting agencies, including members of local police forces as well as attorneys in the Office of the Attorney General. Once a client faces arrest, Ms. Gescheidt harnesses all available information in order to dissuade the prosecuting agency from commencing or continuing prosecution by presenting evidence favorable to the client. She works from day one with an investigator to develop factual and legal defenses that either negate guilt or mitigate punishment. In many cases, she has provided a package of materials to prosecutors that has caused them to reconsider the wisdom of continued prosecution. Ms. Gescheidt routinely meets with complaining witnesses in an effort to reach a mutual resolution without initiation of charges. Ms. Gescheidt appreciates how emotionally and financially devastating criminal litigation can be for clients and their families. She will make every effort to resolve the case at the earliest possible time, but if those efforts are unavailing, she is prepared to bring the full resources of the office to the courtroom for trial. In the fall of 2008, following a five-week-long trial in the Family Court involving a custody dispute and allegations of child sexual abuse and neglect, Ms. Gescheidt won full exoneration of her client. Opposing counsel was a nationally known litigator of allegations of sexual abuse against fathers, who came to trial with a battery of doctors who testified against Ms. Gescheidt's client. Ms. Gescheidt is also expert in developing and litigating medical and psychiatric defenses to criminal charges, with an extensive network of experts at her disposal. She has cross-examined neurosurgeons and presented medical experts to refute allegations of shaken baby syndrome. Ms. Gescheidt has worked with psychiatrists and psychologists presenting defenses involving diminished capacity, insanity, and parental alienation. She has also presented expert testimony from educators and psychologists concerning a client's mental inability to comprehend Miranda warnings. Lise Gescheidt was a public defender for nine years, and was inducted into the Rhode Island Public Defender Hall of Fame for her outstanding work representing indigent offenders and her contributions to the development of the criminal law. In 1986, after leaving the Public Defender's Office (where she met her current partners), Ms. Gescheidt worked as an associate at Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, handling civil litigation. Ms. Gescheidt returned to the practice of criminal defense full-time in 1988, and has been professionally associated with C. Leonard O'Brien and John A. MacFadyen since that time, informally and now as partners. In 2004, Ms. Gescheidt was inducted as a Fellow into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. In November 2007, she was evaluated by her peers as one of Rhode Island's seven best criminal defense attorneys according to Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.