Defending People

the tao of criminal defense trial lawyering

What the Hell is Wrong With the Maricopa County Criminal Bar?

Mark Bennett | November 18, 2009

As Scott Greenfield reports, Judge Gary Donahoe in Arizona has held Deputy Adam Stoddard in “indirect civil” contempt for plundering defense counsel’s file. From the court’s ruling:
[T]his case is not about disobeying a court order.  It is about protecting a defense attorney from misbehavior and harassment by another officer of the court. It is [...]

. . . And Another 30 Days For Looking at Her Like That!

Mark Bennett | April 16, 2008

Austin criminal defense lawyer Adam Reposa gets 90 days in jail for “making a gesture simulating masturbation while standing before County Court-at-Law Judge Jan Breland during a pretrial hearing”.
The earlier story.
(Do you think the cuffs will stop him?)

Rosenthal in Contempt

Mark Bennett | March 28, 2008

Judge Kenneth Hoyt today held Chuck Rosenthal and his lawyer, Harris County District Attorney’s Office General Counsel Scott Durfee, in civil contempt, ordering Rosenthal to pay $18,900 in “attorneys’ fee sanctions” and making Durfee jointly and severally liable for $5,000 of that.
Here’s the order.
Here’s the motion. I think the motion could have supported a criminal [...]

Next Time, Avoid Eye Contact

Mark Bennett | March 21, 2008

From the “You Mean You’re Not Supposed to Do That?” files:
Lawyer held in contempt for simulating masturbation in court.

A Lesson in Federal Contempt

Mark Bennett | February 3, 2008

Here is a thought-provoking little piece on Tom Kirkendall’s Houston’s Clear Thinkers blog about whether Chuck Rosenthal is in fact facing jail time for contempt in Judge Hoyt’s court.
The contempt proceeding is for indirect criminal contempt. It’s “indirect” because Chuck didn’t commit contempt right in front of Judge Hoyt, and it’s “criminal” because the contempt [...]