Behind the Case

One Line on the Calendar: What Actually Happened When Criminal Court Had Other Ideas

When my week started on Monday, the only thing on my court schedule for Friday was taking misdemeanor appointments. One line on the calendar. Simple. Straightforward. Predictable. But criminal court doesn’t care about your calendar. By the time I finished, I had been in four courts on three different floors, circling the building like a… Continue reading One Line on the Calendar: What Actually Happened When Criminal Court Had Other Ideas

Behind the Case

So I Go: The Unglamorous Work of Showing Up

After court and lunch, I walked the few blocks to the jail. It’s close enough that the transition feels abrupt — one minute I’m checking status of discovery, and the next I’m handing over my ID, my bar card, and a little card with my client’s name and location. They give me back the client… Continue reading So I Go: The Unglamorous Work of Showing Up

Behind the Case

Nothing About My Work Looks Like That

Law & Order SVU has been my show for years, but let’s be honest — nothing about my actual work looks like that. There’s no dramatic music. No last‑minute confessions. No detectives sprinting down hallways. And absolutely no scene where a defense attorney gets an investigator without filing a motion, drafting a proposed order, and… Continue reading Nothing About My Work Looks Like That

Behind the Case

This Isn’t a Detour: Why My Toughest Case Is Preparing Me for Capital Defense

There are cases you choose, and there are cases that choose you. This one chose me. I’ve had many moments where I regretted taking on a child‑pornography case. Not because of the work — I can do the work — but because of the weight. The stigma. The isolation. The way people’s faces change when… Continue reading This Isn’t a Detour: Why My Toughest Case Is Preparing Me for Capital Defense