r/publicdefenders

I never thought there was any such thing as a dumb question or a case that wasn’t important, but as my career is advancing, I find myself irritated by things that never would’ve bothered me a few years ago. Being patient and open-minded is a big part of the job, and I feel like the stress I feel day-to-day is eroding that quality I used to have more of. Part of this is good - not all needy clients can actually get a significant amount of your time each and every day. But part of it, I fear, is making me into a worse PD. Wonder if anyone feels the same after being at it for a few years.

The county prosecutor called my boss and told him that he was considering filing charges for obstruction against me and a colleague.

ICE showed up at our courthouse Monday. They were looking for my client who was being sentenced on a DUI. They were kind of lurking in the hallway while he was signing papers for probation.

I walked into the probation office and informed my clients (there were several there in the lobby) that the two individuals in the hallway were federal agents and that they were under no obligation to speak to law enforcement (including ICE), show them ID, or answer questions. But that if law enforcement have a warrant or federal agents have an order to detain them that they should not run or resist because “you’ve seen on TV what these assholes are capable of.” I did this in full view of the ICE agents and loudly enough for them to hear me.

The prosecutor can eat a bag of dicks and my boss should join him for not telling the prosecutor to pound sand.

I'm currently at a firm and on the appointed case list (despite my efforts to get on with the local PD). I'm also newly licensed (November 2025).

The prosecutors I deal with always want me to do their job for them: "What is their history?" "Do they have an ICE hold?" "Have they been charged with this before?" "Are they on probation?" It is my understanding that it's their job to find those things. They have the burden of proof and I have a duty to protect client confidences. I know things are a little different when negotiating a plea deal, but even then I don't want to give them information that could be used if we go to trial.

How do you handle prosecutors like this? How do you maintain likeability so you can get a good outcome for your clients while also standing your ground on issues like this?

Are you in a jurisdiction with waitlists? How is it?

Is it even allowed in your Jx?

Do you feel it's constitutional? What requirements would you have?

I was thinking of requesting that for non-targeted misdemeanors (so not DWIs, assaults and a few others) there be a wait-list until we are fully staffed. But I'm not sure if we are even allowed to ask for that?

https://preview.redd.it/tt3qy5br2b2h1.png?width=1152&format=png&auto=webp&s=ad55712b4e655633e84b9967ade03473cf63c588

The absolute arrogance. The anti-client attitudes. It's all just awful.

https://www.propublica.org/article/conviction-challenges-philadelphia-law

Hi all! I am heading into my fifth year and I’m really trying to hone my trial skills. I feel confident in all areas of trial except voir dire. My law school never offered any courses on it and I’ve had minimal training on it via my employer. I generally try to follow the Colorado method of deselection. However, I was hoping someone would have a book or other resource they’ve found helpful in developing their voir dire skills. Thank you all in advance! :)

My jurisdiction is big on furloughs to drug treatment programs. Basically, they won't agree to bond, but will agree to release them directly to an inpatient program for the length of the program and then return them to the jail upon completion of the program.

My client entered a guilty plea to a drug charge and the court ordered a pre-sentence report for sentencing. Since that's a 3-month wait, we got a furlough for a 28 day program. He completed that program and got accepted to a step-down program. The only problem was that the step-down program was outpatient, so we needed to do a bond hearing. Since his furlough was expiring, I got an order extending his current furlough to attend the inpatient step-down program at the facility he was at (by agreed order) while waiting for a bond hearing date on the other program. Unfortunately, the program decided they didn't want to wait until the end of the day to return him to the jail, so he got returned before the Judge signed the order, the jail then accepted him early (for some reason), and then he was back in jail.

So I go and do the bond motion to get him to the outpatient program with the backup plan of a furlough to the inpatient program he was supposed to go to anyway except that they brought him back to the jail early. Judge approves the furlough to the inpatient program. I reach out to the program to get a bed date and have them pick him up.

They tell me he needs to fill out the application again. The problem, because he's been at their program and then was in the jail, he hasn't used drugs in the last 30 days. So they're probably going to reject his application.

Hey folks,

I'm a private investigator and I recently got own agency off the ground. I've worked in the insurance surveillance world for about 5 years and I am sick of working for greedy, multi-million dollar companies. I've been lurking in this subreddit for a while now and you guys have me completely fired up to do indigent defense investigations. I've been doing some criminal defense CE's and trying to prepare as best I can, but I don't really have any experience in criminal cases.

I plan to approach my local PD office and some local attorneys to offer my services. I understand court appointed cases are at no extra cost to the law firm since they're paid for by the court. I really want to make a good first impression. My question for you is what qualities, skills, or specialized knowledge would you look for in a PI that approached you?

I do have bills to pay, but my desire to get into this work is at the point that I would offer to work the first few cases for free, if that's necessary. I've got the basics down: writing clean reports, turning reports in timely, communication, etc. What would you as a PD or court appointed attorney want to hear or know that would get my foot in the door?

Does the PD's office typically drug test for marijuana use?

I am looking for recommendations for a Michigan Employment Attorney. I have a LLC and just looking to hire someone to look over pretty basic employee contracts I drafted up for account managers/sales position. Everything on google is a paid advertisement of some over priced law firm.

My coworker, who has been a PD for literal decades, was going over an argument with me and casually mentioned that he thought of it at 2am when the case woke him up.

That bummed me out. A lot. I’ve been really hoping that the anxiety, insomnia, and inability to fully “turn it off” was just because I’m still fairly new. Apparently not?

We have plenty of stressful and sad moments but there are funny ones, too. What are yours?

I'll start. About 5 years ago, I was walking back from court and a car slowed down next to me, the horn honked, and I turned to see a woman waving frantically.

I figured it was a client, so I smiled and waved brightly. She rolled down the window, and hollered, "YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" before hitting the gas and careening away.

I still have no idea who it was.

I'm sorry I ruined her life, but it still cracks me up every time I think of it.

Looking to settle an office debate. How often do you dry clean your suits?

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It's devastating me, but the caseload is so high on everyone here, so there's really no-one around to train me on the basics of help me with these serious cases. I keep messing up, and I'm afraid of losing my license or picking up bad habits. I've moved jurisdictions from a laid back one to one that follows procedures, and am out of my depth.

I'm just so worried about the coworkers who are still here.

I confess I'm mostly private side defense. But I do take contract cases from time to time.

Had a juvenile client on contract. He was charged with shooting a man with a stockless AR he had in his pants. It was on camera. Shooting happened. Clearly my client. Only triable issue was self-defense--which I think we could have won on. It's not illegal in this state for children to carry long guns, and self defense is very broad here.

Litigation sucked. Mom repeatedly appeared by video at hearings from a bar she did not work at. But I did what I could.

Took the offer to the kid. He decided to plead. At the plea the juvenile officer read off a litany of sins committed by my client in the juvenile jail. Including theft, bullying, and--piece de reistance--defecating on a lunch tray and handing it to a staff member.

Fast forward, kid gets released in less than two years. Is immediately murdered. A gunfight at his funeral results in at least 6 casualties--no fatalities as far as I know but a shit ton of gunfire.

Then today I find one of his songs. Not great but really well done for a 20 year old barely literate individual. Hit me hard.

I dunno. This job is weird, cuh.

After thirty-eight years of criminal defense, I am retiring in November. Our firm is therefore looking to fill my shoes and also expand with a couple of new attorneys. We have contracts with various municipal courts up and down the Eastside of the lake as well as a few other jurisdictions. We offer a very competitive compensation package and you'd be working with a group of attorneys and support staff who take great pride in their profession. Feel free to DM me if you are interested.