In just over three months in 2026, Attorney Pablo Chapablanco secured favorable “no probable cause” rulings for five clients in federal court, with each ruling resulting in dismissal of the client’s criminal felony complaint and an order for release.
A “No Probable Cause” finding means that a judge has found that there is not sufficient evidence to show that the accused committed the crime they are being accused of.
The cases are as follows:
USA v. Yepez — 3:26-mj-02215
USA v. Garcia et al. — 3:26-mj-02630
USA v. Ortiz et al. — 3:26-mj-02585
USA v. Saenz — 3:26-mj-03815
USA v. Cornonado — 3:26-mj-04158
These results are remarkable not only because of how many Mr. Chapablanco achieved in such a short amount of time, but also because prosecutors face a relatively low burden at a preliminary hearing: they need to show a reasonable basis to believe the accused committed a crime, well below the proof beyond a reasonable doubt required for conviction. In each of these cases, the federal judge determined that the government’s evidence failed to meet even that initial threshold.
The results show the practical importance of challenging the government’s evidence early, when the accused’s freedom is immediately at stake.