Williamson County Discovery

 Posted on January 30, 2009 in Uncategorized

In response to this post, in which I talked about Williamson County, Texas's criminal discovery policy, WilCo DA John Bradley emailed me:

In Williamson County, a defense lawyer receives full and complete discovery, including access to offense reports, before any trial. Mr. Hampton's commentary is not accurate. Our discovery is more limited if there is a negotiated agreement, but even then discovery of critical information is provided. jb

It's good to have more accurate information, but this raises as many questions as it answers.

What is this "critical information" that is provided before the accused has to decide whether to accept a plea agreement?

Who decides?

And, most importantly, how does a Williamson County criminal-defense lawyer help her client make a proper decision on whether to accept a negotiated agreement (a plea bargain) or go to trial, without access to full and complete discovery?

This is, as I've said before, where a criminal-defense lawyer earns her keep: in helping the client make the proper go/no-go decision. Trials are important, but most cases are not tried. The trick is to know the case that should be tried from the case that shouldn't be.

By the time my clients decide whether or not to plead guilty, I almost always have enough of an understanding of the case that I could try it well if I had to. I have read offense reports, interviewed witnesses, investigated criminal histories, visited the scene and consulted with experts. (I have also drafted a jury charge and researched any legal issues that I anticipate arising.) Just as having defense trial experience is critical to a criminaldefense lawyer making that determination, so is having a fullunderstanding of the evidence and the law.

I don't know how, if I were only provided what the prosecutor considered "critical information" before helping my client make the key decision, I would be able to advise him on what could happen at trial or how he should respond to it.

Somebody must benefit from the state restricting the amount of information defense counsel can have before plea negotiations break down. I don't know who benefits, but it doesn't smell like justice to me.