Defending People
This blawg is about the art and science of criminal defense trial lawyering. Rather than using his blog to shake his fist at injustice everywhere, Mark Bennett focuses on how lawyers can make their own justice in the courtroom. He shares his philosophies through analogies and anecdotes from his Houston criminal defense practice.
Author: Mark Bennett is a Houston criminal defense lawyer.
Blawg Related Categories: Constitutional Law • Criminal Justice • Prosecutors • Trials & Litigation • States • Texas • Blawg 100 • Private Defense
Recent Posts from Defending People
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The Declaration of Independence
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate…
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Proof that Lawyers Can Survive Without Honor.
Recall the story of the two Chicago PDs whose client, Wilson, confessed to them that he had murdered a security guard, and that Logan, who was doing life for the murder, had not. The two…
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The UCC: Ban it Fully, or Not at All.
I got a letter from a Texas prison last week: contraband had been confiscated from an inmate (not a client) after arriving in an envelope with my return address on it. The contraband was described…
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Justice vs. The Law
Defending People reader “Ryan”, writing at Plain Error, the official blog of the Innocence Project of Florida, responds to my “Law and Justice Explained.” post: As someone with the status just above armchair philosopher (disclosure:…
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Law and Justice Explained.
I just stumbled upon this, in comments to a long-ago Ann Althouse post: One of the most annoying things about lawyers is the way they casually conflate “law” with “justice.” To clarify: justice is a…
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Fifteen Books for Becoming a Better Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer
At Illinois and Missouri lawyer Evan Schaeffer’s Trial Practice Tips Weblog, Evan has a link to an Amazon list of 16 Books to Read if You Want to Become a Better Trial Lawyer by Dallas…
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The Hair in the Food, and Jury Selection
A few rules from growing up Bennett: Never lose altitude unnecessarily. Slow, slow. Look, Look. Never pass up a chance to relieve yourself. Don’t let too much small stuff pile up (this is the companion…
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Two Legislators, One Cup.
Bryan, Texas criminal defense lawyer Stephen Gustitis (The Defense Perspective) is representing a guy charged with harassment for making an “obscene” comment in a written communication (artist’s depiction follows): Can I lick you, Katie? I…
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Keep the NPMSRP Alive!
The National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project . . . devoted to solving [the lack of information about police misconduct] by gathering information about reported incidents of police misconduct across the US, analyzing and…
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Woody: Diddy?
I’ve watched the video, and I don’t know if he did it. Maybe he, like so many of my clients, is the victim of a false accusation, betrayed by the criminal justice system. Maybe he…