September 23, 2026
On September 23, 2026, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the compassionate release motion of Gruenstein Law client Joe Fernandez, and resentenced him from life in prison to time served. In ruling that “extraordinary and compelling circumstances exist to warrant compassionate relief,” Judge Hellerstein expressed “confidence that Mr. Fernandez will become again a productive member of society, a caring father and husband, and an upstanding member of his community.” Firm founding partner Ben Gruenstein is in charge of Mr. Fernandez’s representation, having been appointed pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act to represent him in 2021, and litigating up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he argued for Mr. Fernandez in November 2025.
