Fans of The Real Housewives of Potomac know that the last several weeks have been pretty eventful for Karen Huger, and not in a positive way. Not only was she found guilty of driving while under the influence, but she missed the recently filmed RHOP reunion. Now, the news has surfaced that the so-called Grand Dame has fired her attorney and requested that her sentencing be pushed back.
For the sake of context, Karen, 61, was involved in a car accident in March 2024, where she was arrested for driving under the influence. At the time, she refused field sobriety testing, which stretched the ordeal for several months.
Fast forward to December, and a court found Karen guilty of multiple counts related to the accident, including a DUI charge. Her sentencing was supposed to be in late January.
Now, In Touch Weekly is reporting that the RHOP OG has fired her legal representation after being found guilty. And that’s not all. As mentioned, Karen also requested that the court push back her sentencing, which was supposed to take place on January 29. This additional time would allow the troubled reality television star to finish her stint in rehab. Luckily for Karen, the judge agreed to the extension, and she will now be sentenced on February 26.
Notably, the extension request was filed on January 9. The court documents read, “Ms. Huger is seeking to have the benefit of counsel’s 30 years of experience handling cases of this kind, in the Maryland Courts, and in fashioning recommendations that State and the Court may find acceptable to address the community’s interests in accountability, rehabilitation, supervision, and deterrence.”
The motion was filed by Karen’s new legal team, David A. Martella and Barry Helfand. They told the court that they had last spoken to her as she was entering the rehab facility, but they said they could offer no details about her treatment.
The court docs went on, “The rules of the program severely limit the counsel’s ability to communicate with Ms. Huger and prepare for sentencing. [Karen] will be returning from that program on January 28, 2025, the day before the scheduled sentencing.”
Her new lawyers also stated that they would need time to learn more about the “nature of the case, the procedural history, the evidence that was presented at trial, and the client’s personal and professional history. Additional time would allow counsel to provide the Court with a meaningful and useful memorandum.”
They requested an extension until February 14 to allow them time to file a memorandum related to her sentencing. Karen’s representative previously mentioned appealing the decision, but it’s unclear if that is still on the table.
Karen has faced a ton of criticism, and many fans questioned why she chose to take this DUI case to trial instead of taking a plea deal. They questioned this decision because of the overwhelming evidence and damning video footage of her arrest that came out during her trial.