Have you ever noticed that when the mainstream media produce stories about TSA agents humiliating the elderly, abusing children, and otherwise behaving badly, they hide the identity of the agents? Why do they do that? These are public employees, paid with public funds, in positions requiring them to deal with the public. When they violate the public trust, they should be personally accountable like any other bureaucrats.

When Chicago criminal-defense lawyer Marcus Schantz got a not guilty from a jury last week for a guy accused of assaulting a couple of cops, I was pleased for him. It looked like a bad case; and any time we put the government to its proof and the jury agrees with us, it’s worth an attaboy or two.Not everybody agrees.Schantz, via Twitter, pointed out this post and

Allentown, Pennsylvania prosecutor Juliet L. Dowling and criminal-defense lawyer David A. Nicholls get in an argument outside the courtroom. Dowling says that Nicholls has a conflict of interest, and tries to bar him from the courtroom. Nicholls yells, cusses, and points his finger at Dowling. Nicholls gets charged with disorderly conduct for his trouble. Nicholls, sixty-two years old, should be better able to control himself. There's no

Why don’t we all join Rocket Lawyer, enabling it to provide more forms to more clients for cheaper?Because, like Sam Glover says in the comments, we’re not selling forms, we’re selling our good judgment. Criminal-defense lawyers—by way of example—earn our reputations in trial, but we earn our keep helping clients decide whether to go to trial. (“Knowing where to tap: £99.”) It’s not just the trial lawyers

One of my favorite statutes, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 21.15:Art. 21.15. MUST ALLEGE ACTS OF RECKLESSNESS OR CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. Whenever recklessness or criminal negligence enters into or is a part or element of any offense, or it is charged that the accused acted recklessly or with criminal negligence in the commission of an offense, the complaint, information, or indictment in order to be sufficient in

Some lawyers think ambush is the better tactic; I frankly would rather not be accidentally prosecuting someone who might be innocent, and I'd rather have your insight upfront. That's a Harris County prosecutor, responding to my pointing out a couple of the problems that I saw with the case against my client.I wrote years ago about NLSes, or Nasty Little Surprises. An NLS is something about the

I was disappointed, a few days ago, when I saw that "Strike Lawyer" John Regan was the "John R." who has commented extensively on Simple Justice. I'm not going to beat up on John—even though I did say that I would—because I don't think that would help anyone. I don't know that any good ever came of a tour of Bedlam.But I do want to talk about

Randy MartinEric DavisJacqueline CarpenterTe’iva BellCraig StillCecelia ValentineJules JohnsonRoger Donley (Mental Health)Tanya TerryIf you are one of those anti-PD people who questioned whether the PD's Office would be able to attract any real trial talent, feel free to shut up now. Alex Bunin (and Mark Hochglaube, who I may have mentioned is the felony trial chief of the office) have done very well.I hope that they will let

Can someone who has successfully completed felony deferred-adjudication probation in Texas (and been in no other trouble) possess a firearm under Texas law?Sec. 46.04. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY FELON. (a) A person who has been convicted of a felony commits an offense if he possesses a firearm: (1) after conviction and before the fifth anniversary of the person's release from confinement following conviction of the felony

He called for lawyers to take concerted action, going on strike against bad judges, while he remained anonymous because "I see no reason to take even small risks with the interests of others when the potential for accomplishing anything good is as speculative as this is right now." So we, criminal-defense lawyers of the world, were expected to risk the interests of our own clients while he