Monica D. Cliatt

Over the past 25 years of her career, Monica has taught criminal law, trial advocacy, supervised a civil law school clinic, served as the First Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Virginia, and served as a judicial law clerk.

During her time as a county and Federal Public Defender, Monica has defended a wide array of cases, including a variety of frauds such as wire and bank fraud, bankruptcy, mortgage and government loans. She has handled false reporting, theft of government property, counterfeiting, money laundering, public corruption, embezzlement, extortion, RICO charges, environmental crime, illegal immigration, illegal trafficking, and terrorism.

She has appeared before district court judges and submitted briefs to the Third and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

• Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Paycheck Protection Program and Conspiracy: successfully defended against prosecution seeking incarceration and monetary judgment in excess of $200,000. U.S. v. Ziglar, et al., Case No. 4:21-CR-22 (W.D. Va. 2022) Resolved by non-prosecution agreement.
• Defense counsel in theft of government property, including the successful litigation of a motion to suppress evidence that resulted in a negotiated sentence for time-served.
• Bank fraud: successfully navigated and strategized so that charges were ultimately dismissed. U.S. v. Ioana-Cristina Pavel, No. 7:19-CR-94 (W.D. Va. 2021).
• Defended tax fraud case, successfully negotiated a reduced sentence.
• Lacey Act: Negotiated a four-month sentence for client facing a 5-year sentence for timber theft. U.S. v. Stump, No. 7:21-CR-19 (W.D.Va. 2023).

Education

Widener University Commonwealth Law School, J.D.

Admissions

Virginia

Pennsylvania

• Virginia Women's Attorney Association
• Women's White Collar Defense Association