Notes from practice · D.C. Superior Court
The “Almost Went To Trial” Blues
You are wearing one of the good suits you save for trial. Your trial notebook is at your side. You got up early to exercise,...
“No One Told You That Solo Practice Was Going To Be Like This”
Last year, while taking the first steps to launch my own law firm, I spent a lot of time on the ABA listserv for solo...
David Baugh on Voir Dire
David P. Baugh was one of the speakers at a Virginia Trial Lawyers Association CLE I attended yesterday. Baugh is perhaps best known for defending...
Signs You Have Been Working Out Of Your Home Office For Too Long
Courtesy of the solo practitioners at the ABA listserv Solosez, here are the top 15 signs that you have been working out of your home...
Everyone Should Have An Identical Twin
For over 20 years, Detective Wynn conducted line-ups at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) in Philadelphia. The line-ups were carried out in a little triangular-shaped...
On Becoming A Solo Criminal Defense Attorney Right Out of Law School
A couple of days ago I was contacted by a colleague here in town on a criminal case she had just taken on. My...
What This Criminal Defense Lawyer Looks For In A Client
JW, one of my favorite readers/commenters, has proposed a blog topic. He says he has read a lot about what a client should look...
On Watching A Client’s Recorded Statement To The Police
I am watching a DVD recording of my client’s statement to the detective. The camera must have a wide-angle lens because my client and the...
Self-Defense in a D.C. Assault Case
Jamison Koehler
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06/09/2010
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Self-defense is an affirmative defense to simple assault and other assault charges in D.C. Self-defense is the use of force to protect oneself, one’s family...
Flat Fees Versus Hourly Rates In A Criminal Case
There is no good way to charge for legal services, I am persuaded. Clients come in need. They are afraid and angry. They want a...
Six Months Into A Solo Criminal Law Practice
Mark Bennett and Brian Tannebaum both announced last week that they have been practicing criminal law for 15 years. While I have nowhere close to...
Why Do My Favorite Cops Always Turn Out To Be Crooked?
I am walking with my kids at the Reading Terminal, an eatery just a couple of blocks from the courthouse in Philadelphia, when we come...
Starting Your Own Law Practice is a Leap of Faith
In another lifetime, I wrote short stories. Five or six of these stories eventually found their way into obscure literary journals, with one or two...
On Michael Malone and the Jeffrey MacDonald Case
I have written a number of posts over the last couple of months about the Donald E. Gates case. As you will recall, Gates was...
On Being Held In Contempt of Court
A couple of months ago, Carol D. of Public Defender Revolution told the story about a judge who tried to force her to trial...