440-974-8484 | Mentor, Ohio

Joseph "Randy" Klammer

Partner

As with every attorney in the firm, Mr. Klammer has handled criminal matters ranging from juvenile delinquency to adult murder – both he and his wife, Darya Klammer, are privileged to claim the same level of experience. Experience as a former assistant county prosecutor, allows Mr. Klammer to fully evaluate the central issues and design a defense strategy best suited for the dispute. With in excess of 35 appellate disputes to his name, Mr. Klammer is mindful of your rights beyond trial to appeal. Mr. Klammer shares the vision of The Klammer Law Office, Ltd. with the firm's other attorneys in that every legal dispute requires a careful attention to detail, sophisticated investigation of the underlying facts, and a firm wide evaluation of the merits of the matter.

Practice Areas

Criminal defense, zoning law, election law, governmental law, and personal injury.

Education

  • Juris Doctorate, 1997
    Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
    Cleveland State University
    Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Bachelor of Science in Business, 1994
    Miami University
    Oxford, Ohio.
  • Attendant, 53rd Annual Short Course for Prosecuting Attorneys
    Presented by: Northwestern University School of Law
    Chicago, Illinois.

Admitted to the Practice of Law

  • Ohio Supreme Court, 1997.
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 1998.
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2009.

Public Sector Practice

  • The City of Eastlake
    Law Director, 2004 to Present
    Assistant Law Director, 2003 to 2004.

Professional Associations

  • Lake County Bar Association, President
    - Grievance Committee
    - Judicial Selection Committee
  • Lake County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, President
  • Cleveland-Marshall Law Alumni Association, Life Member
  • Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 2006 - present
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2004, 2006-present

Community Experience

  • The Lake County Bar Foundation
    Present Chairman.
  • Board of Trustees, Lake-Geauga Big Brothers Big Sisters
    Past Board Member.
  • Board of Zoning Appeals, City of Mentor on the Lake
    Past Board Member.

Few Past Clients

  • Ohio municipal court judge in Federal corruption investigation.
  • Retired U.S. Air Force member subject to Federal multi-count, multi-million dollar procurement fraud indictment.
  • Ohio dentist subject to Federal multi-count racketeering indictment.
  • Ohio attorney charged with theft.
  • Ohio man with law degree in murder for hire investigation.
  • Ohio attorney in disciplinary investigation.
  • College students and football players in rape investigation.
  • Ohio man subject to multi-count securities fraud and racketeering investigation.
  • Ohio mayor in trial of dispute with local city council.
  • Local school official in felony extortion indictment.

Publications and Speaking

  • Sometimes…You Don't Need A Lawyer, First Edition, 2010. Available at Amazon.
  • Innovative Ways to Find and Present "Similar Offenders and Similar Sentences."
    Speaker, 2008 Superstar Seminar, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, October 17, 2008
  • Basic Preparation for the DNA Cross-examination, Websites, Strinsites and Insights.
    Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, March 31 Newsletter, (2008).
  • A Seductive Playground Indeed - The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Respond. (View PDF, 526Kb)
    Lake Legal Views, Vol. 25, Number 7, (2003)
  • Landlord Tenant Law: Beyond the Basics, Speaker 2010, Youngstown, Ohio. (View PDF, 233Kb)
  • Long Live the General Practitioner. Ohio State Bar Association; Solo, Small Firms and General Practice News Vol. 20, Issue 3, Fall 2010. (View PDF, 233Kb)
  • Protecting the Innocent from Misidentification and Wrongful Convictions. Ohio State Bar Association; Solo, Small Firms and General Practice News Vol. 21, Issue 3, Summer 2011. (View PDF, 1.1Mb)
  • Legal Aid Society – Judicial Forum and Practice Update: Municipal Court Update, including S.B 337 Changes, Speaker on changes to expungement in Ohio under S.B. 337, Willoughby, 2012.
  • Criminal Law Update. Ohio State Bar Association; Solo, Small Firms and General Practice News Vol. 22, Issue 1, Spring 2012 (View PDF, 342Kb)
  • Ohio Land Law, Eminent Domain, and Condemnation. Speaker, Cleveland, Ohio, May 2, 2013.
  • Lake County 2014 Family Law Seminar. Topic: My Client Got Arrested for What?, March 28, 2014.
  • The Classic Metaphyseal Lesions Myth in Child Abuse Prosecutions: Time for Law Enforcement to Challenge the Treating Doctors Before Pursuing Charges, O.S.B.A. Newsletter, Vol. 28, Issue 4. (View PDF, 643Kb)
  • Yes Innocent People Do Confess, O.S.B.A. Newsletter, Vol. 29, Issue 6. (View PDF, 1.2Mb)
  • Is “Touch DNA” Precisely the Opposite?, O.S.B.A. Newsletter, Vol. 31, Issue 1. (View PDF, 162Kb)
  • A Tangled Web to Unravel: Conspiracy, RICO, Prosecutions and Pinkerton Liability, O.S.B.A. Newsletter, Vol. 33, Issue 2. (View PDF, 442Kb)
  • Felon in Possession: No Man’s Land, O.S.B.A. Newsletter, June 2021 (View PDF, 195Kb)
  • Attorney Ethics, Civility and Professionalism, National Academy of Continuing Legal Education, Speaker, 2023.
  • Finding and Using Electronic Evidence, Annual Lake County Family Law Seminar, Co-Speaker, 2023.

Noteworthy Litigation

Criminal Dispute-Murder: As lead attorney for the defense and upon trial of an indictment for two counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault; the defendant was acquitted on all counts murder and felonious assault counts and convicted of the lesser included offense of recklessness.

Criminal Dispute-Attempted Murder: As lead attorney for the defense and upon trial of an indictment for two counts of attempted murder; two counts of felonious assault; and two counts of vehicular assaults, the defendant was acquitted on all counts and convicted of the lesser included offense of misdemeanor assault .

Criminal Dispute-Attempted Murder: As lead attorney for the defendant charged with attempted murder involving a fire arm. Matter was resolved as a misdemeanor obstruction of official business and the defendant was fined $100.00.

Criminal Dispute-Nine Counts Illegal Processing Drug Documents: As lead attorney for the defense and upon trial of an indictment charging nine counts of illegal processing drug documents, the defendant was acquitted on all counts.

Federal multimillion dollar procurement fraud indictment: The firm was successful in negotiating a resolution to a multi-count, multimillion dollar federal contract procurement fraud and bribery indictment. The trial court applied a unique application to the federal loss analysis and found the loss to the government to be negligible. The point of law had the effect of making the client eligible for straight probation as opposed to the 27-51, depending on certain complex factors, as argued for by the government. The sentencing court imposed straight probation and a fine.

Federal gambling and conspiracy indictment resolved with probation: The firm was successful in achieving in resolving a federal gambling charge without any incarceration. The sentencing judge imposed straight probation and a $1,000.00 fine.

Land Use and Zoning Dispute: As attorney for the defendant-business owner and upon trial to the Court, all claims brought by the local municipality against the business owner were dismissed at the close of the City’s evidence. The defendant was not required to present a defense.

Land Use and Zoning Dispute: As co-counsel to the special counsel to a local municipality as the defendant successfully defended attacks by local developer to city’s residential zoning. Upon trial to the Court, the Court found against the commercial developer concluding that the existing residential zoning was constitutional.

Full and unconditional pardon from Ohio Governor: As lead attorney for an Ohio man, Mr. Klammer was successful in securing "full and unconditional pardon" of a 1992 criminal conviction from Governor Strickland. In the eyes of the law, it is as thought the crime and conviction had never occurred.

Rape case negotiated to Misdemeanor of the Third Degree with No Jail: The firm was successful in resolving a multiple count sex offense case to one count misdemeanor of the third degree. The defendant was permitted to enter a special plea referred to as an Alford Plea which allows him to accept the misdemeanor while also maintaining his innocence. He received no incarceration.

Rape case negotiated to Child Endangering with No Jail: The firm was successful in resolving a multiple count sex offense case to one count of child endangering. The defendant was permitted to enter a special plea referred to as an Alford Plea which allows him to accept the child endangering while also maintaining his innocence. He received no incarceration.

Juvenile rape charged dismissed: The firm was successful in securing the dismissal of a rape charge against a local high school boy who had been wrongfully accused of rape by a classmate.

Felony extortion and attempted felony theft dismissed with a $250 fine: The firm was successful in seeing all felony charges against a local school official dismissed. To put the matter behind him, defendant agreed to a fine of $250 on misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Parole for murder conviction: The firm was successful and helping a convicted person finally achieve parole on her 15 years to life prison sentence. Parole can be a divisive subject. This defendant though succeeded in so many ways while incarcerated that the parole panel and ultimately full board recommended her parole release.

We remind the reader that every case is different. While these case examples are meaningful to us, they should not be taken as a promise for a certain result in your case. Be sure to talk with us in detail about all the facts of your case so we can see if we can help.

Legal questions? Our team is here to help.