Posts Tagged ‘criminal law’
Open Mouth, Catch a Charge
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you.” We all know these words from the Miranda warning, yet millions of people try to talk their way out of a case and talk their way into a charge instead. When lawyers, cops, and judges get pulled over,…
Read MoreLast day as a public defender
Today is my last day as a Deputy State Public Defender. Over the last five years, I have fought beside some of the best people I’ve ever met to defend the indigent accused. I’ve had the honor of saving men from living the rest of their lives in a cage. I’ve experienced the pain of…
Read MoreHiring a criminal defense lawyer
I spend all of my working hours defending people accused of crimes. However, because I chose to be a public defender, you can’t hire me, I have to be appointed. If you are charged with a crime and don’t qualify for a public defender, you should probably talk to a reputable criminal defense lawyer. Brian…
Read MoreMy trial record: 2-3-3
Derek prodded me to post some good news, since it’s been too long. My case load is larger than before, up to around 265. Since I started last August, I’ve had eight jury trials. My record at this point is 2-3-3. Two wins, three ties, and three losses. Now, you may be wondering how you…
Read MoreFirst month update
On Thursday I will have completed a full month as a public defender. The move out here went smoothly and we’re pretty much settled in. It’s been busy, with two trips back to the east coast, so not a lot of time to rest. Life as a PD is busy. I have over 100 cases…
Read MoreThis I Believe: Everyone Deserves Defense
I found out last Friday that my career as a public defender will be starting later than I’d like. Placement is by attrition and people aren’t quitting as often as normal in this troubled economy. I’m disappointed, but still committed to being a public defender, albeit later than I had planned. Derek pointed me to…
Read MoreCorpus Delicti
According to the ‘Lectric Law Library Lexicon, “corpus delicti” is defined as: The body of the offence; the essence of the crime. It was a general rule not to convict unless the corpus delicti can be established, that is, until the dead body has been found. Instances have occurred of a person being convicted of…
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