Trial Advocacy | Koehler Law

Performance theater serving a purpose

Jamison Koehler January 11, 2023 Trial Advocacy

Sometimes you need to say things for no other reason than that the client will hear you.

I told you so

Jamison Koehler September 5, 2022 Trial Advocacy

Sometimes you need to exercise your right to remain silent. Sometimes you should take your lawyer’s advice.

Beating an attempted drug possession case

Jamison Koehler December 3, 2021 Drug Offenses, Evidence, Trial Advocacy

Now that DFS has lost its accreditation, the government is looking for creative ways to prosecute drug possession cases, including amending the charges to attempted possession. There are equally creative ways to counter this strategy.

Cross-examining a GRU officer

Jamison Koehler November 30, 2021 Trial Advocacy

I won a motion to suppress in a drug case yesterday. The win was particularly gratifying in that it involved the notorious gun recovery unit (GRU) from the Metropolitan Police Department. One of the lead officers for the GRU testified for the government, and he was a difficult witness: He would not concede a thing. I usually begin with some innocuous questions. …

People are contrarian

Jamison Koehler October 21, 2021 Trial Advocacy

People are, I believe, naturally contrarian. The question is how to use this phenomenon to your advantage at trial.

Is it a ledger? Or is it an address book?

Jamison Koehler July 23, 2021 Trial Advocacy

One man’s address book is another person’s ledger.

Cross-examining a pro se petitioner in a CPO case

Jamison Koehler May 20, 2021 Domestic Violence, Trial Advocacy

Trying a case — in this case, a CPO hearing — against an unrepresented party is always an experience.

Call me Mr. Reasonable

Jamison Koehler September 26, 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, Trial Advocacy

I suspect that my remote-hearing persona may be more adversarial than my in-person one. And this concerns me: What does this say about me?

A “chance encounter” at the airport

Jamison Koehler June 16, 2020 Trial Advocacy

Q: Well, let me spell it out for you. At the airport, you showed up out of the blue, uninvited. Just like in the song. A: I had no idea she and her boyfriend would be there.