Let My People Go

 Posted on January 28,2013 in Uncategorized

1. Geraldo G. Acosta: 255 juvenile cases / 387 misdemeanor cases/ 278 felony cases / 4.1 times the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals recommended public-defender caseload (i.e. 200 juvenile cases or 400 misdemeanor cases or 150 felony cases per lawyer).

2. David L. Garza: 599 misdemeanor cases / 295 felony cases / 3.5 times the recommended caseload.

3. Ricardo N. Gonzalez: 444 misdemeanor cases / 63 felony cases / 3.2 times the recommended caseload.

4. Humberto Trejo: 470 misdemeanor cases / 278 felony cases / 3.0 times the recommended caseload.

5. Kerry Hollingsworth McCracken: 419 felony cases / 2.8 times the recommended caseload.

6. Juan Aguirre: 603 misdemeanor cases / 184 felony cases / 2.7 times the recommended caseload.

7. Herman Martinez: 495 misdemeanor cases / 223 felony cases / 2.7 times the recommended caseload.

8. Jorge A. Cantu: 929 misdemeanor cases / felony misdemeanor cases / 2.7 times the recommended caseload.

9. Monica Lisa Gonzalez: 395 felony cases / 2.6 times the recommended caseload. (In ten months before she joined the PD's Office.)

10. Page E. Janik: 101 misdemeanor cases / 348 felony cases / 2.6 times the recommended caseload.

(Source, via Robb Fickman .)

That's ten lawyers doing the work of roughly thirty. Some of these people are my friends, and I feel terribly for them, being driven so hard by judges forcing court appointments on them. Some of them have private practices as well; there is no way that this much work-doing a thorough, conscientious job on every case-leaves them any time for sleep or meals, much less fun.

As Paul Kennedy points out, the worst-abused of these poor lawyers, Geraldo G. Acosta, was compelled to take an average of 3.5 new cases a day in 2011, which means that he resolved an average of 3.5 cases a day in 2011. If he spent only 9.5 hours on each case, he got 20 hours off during the entire year.

This can't be good for the health, either physical or mental, of these ten lawyers. It's amazing that they haven't cracked already. It is heartbreaking.

But maybe you and I can make a difference. I urge you to join me in calling on Harris County's judges to stop working my friends like rented mules.

We might even save their lives.