Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Plea bargaining is one of the most important aspects of criminal defense practice. Like most vital areas of real world law, it is not taught in law school. All PB experience happens on the job.

One of the aspects of the plea bargain is talking with your ADA about problems with the case. For example, you may point out that the arresting officer isn’t very strong on the stand, or has recently been arrested etc.

Such statements are usually made with a request for a specific disposition; a dismissal or better plea terms. Most ADA’s have more than enough cases set for trial, many don’t want to waste time presenting a problem case to a jury.

I had court in Kaufman this morning. 6 cases set in two courts, one upstairs and one downstairs. First, I went to the upstairs court. I spoke with the ADA, worked out a plea bargain, decided to set two cases for pre trial etc. Things are moving along when two lawyers and my downstairs client inform me that my downstairs case has been called and the judge is waiting.

Not wanting to make the judge unhappy I book it downstairs; talk with another ADA, got appointed to a new case, and worked on passing these cases.

Before I can finish downstairs, the bailiff from upstairs comes to tell me that I still have 2 clients waiting and that I need to go back upstairs. It seems the upstairs judge has another hearing at 10:30 and my clients are holding that up. I quickly fill out two reset sheets, tell my new client to meet me at my office, and go back upstairs to finalize those cases.

There is no shortage of good blawg advise on hiring a criminal attorney. There is a shortage of good information on hiring me. Too fill that void let me offer a quick guide to our consultation.

FREE!

Like most criminal defense lawyers I don’t charge for a consultation. I gladly donate 30 minute (sometimes longer) blocks of time to prospective clients.

First, some Einstein.

Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.

– Albert Einstein

Guitar Hero World Tour was an entertainment force in my house over the holidays. At my Christmas party, on Christmas, whenever friends or family were around the fake plastic GH drums, guitar and mic were in action.

For the cave dwellers amongst my readership, Guitar Hero World Tour (GH) is a music game in which the player spends time destroying colored circles in rhythm with the music. It’s a karaoke/rock band experience that most people are instantly hooked on.

I have a unique perspective in that I can actually play guitar (or at least I could, it’s been a while). In law school I was the guitarist for Lubbock’s greatest law school rock band- 5 Hours From Dallas. Playing GH can be hard for real guitar players. It takes a while to understand the timing.

First, I want to wish my readers a wonderful 2009. Thanks for reading and commenting. My 18 month old blog sits at 130,000 hits. I’ll keep typing as long as you keep reading.

My wife and I celebrated New Year’s at a party in downtown Dallas last night. Like most revelers we booked a room downtown and took cabs to avoid driving. The priceline hotel gods put us in the Hyatt Regency. Unbeknownst to me was the fact that the Ole Miss Rebel football team was also staying there. Finally, I was sporting my red Texas Tech hoody sweatshirt (red hooded sweeeeaaatshirt).

The Cotton Bowl had made TT/UM into forced rivals for the next few days. So much so, that I was viewed with immediate suspicion by the Rebel fans, boosters, players, and cheerleaders. Even the Mississippi highway patrol looked concerned at my presence. I was being collegiality profiled.