Notes from practice · D.C. Superior Court
On the doctrine of “inherent incredibility” in Carrington
The D.C. Court of Appeals will typically defer to the trial judge on any question pertaining to the credibility of a witness. After all, it...
On the fumbling hand of counsel
Jamison Koehler
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11/15/2023
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According to the 6th Amendment, the lawyer who accepts representation in a criminal case must affirmatively assist with the defense, thereby advancing it....
The “Rule of Lenity” in D.C.
Jamison Koehler
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06/12/2022
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According to the “Rule of Lenity,” a court should construe any ambiguity in the language of a criminal statute in favor of the defendant....
Good writing has a look
I have a new font: Century Schoolbook. My writing has improved already....
PDS offers help with criminal appeals
I am sitting with Jimmy Klein and Alice Wang in Klein’s office on the third floor of 633 Indiana Avenue, NW. Samia Fam and Jackie...
Joining the Adult CJA Panel in D.C.
I have just been appointed to the D.C. Superior Court panel for adult court-appointed cases. I was one of three lawyers appointed on a “provisional”...
Effective <---> Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
I am doing a court-appointed criminal appeal, and I am cranky with the defense lawyer who tried the case. He won’t return my phone calls....
Solo Practitioners Don’t Have A Jackie Frankfurt
We had a tremendous support network at the public defender’s office in Philadelphia. There were social workers and mental health professionals. There were administrative staff...
Eliminate Adverbs. Improve Your Writing.
We all have our pet peeves when it comes to the English language. I had an English teacher in college who offered a $1 million...
On the Satisfaction of Doing Criminal Appeals
During the second semester of my senior year in college, I submitted a paper for my English class that was three-quarters of a page long....
Delivering the News in an Appellate Case
I call my court-appointed client in an appellate case to give him the news. Although I know many things about this man, I have never...
Using An Ellipsis To Misrepresent Language
You have to be honest with the court. Your client’s fate depends on it. So does your reputation. It is one of the first things...
Ready for DUI/DWI Appeals in D.C.
It is amazing to me there aren’t more appellate DUI/DWI decisions in D.C. Yes, a recent case – Taylor v. District of Columbia – dealt with...
PDS Launches Criminal Law Blog
Jamison Koehler
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09/25/2013
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The Public Defender Service (PDS) has just begun a blog — the PDS Criminal Law Blog — that reviews recent D.C. Court of Appeals opinions. ...
Mindy Daniels, my reluctant mentor
She doesn’t know it yet but Mindy Daniels is going to be my mentor on all things having to do with the D.C. Court of...