Reviving the Hero Image of the Public Defender by Changing the Story of Our Clients

Fifty-one years ago the Supreme Court made clear that the defense attorney is the vehicle necessary to ensure that justice is done -for it is through counsel that all rights are realized – and that if we are to live […]

Can an Ex-Cop be an Excellent Public Defender Investigator?

I am sort of a cynic by nature, and rarely do I have experiences that shame me into more positive trends of thinking (which only reinforces the cynicism), but I did recently read an article about public defender investigators that […]

What happened when Google, Facebook and LinkedIn Second Sat Me

This spring the American Bar Association ethics committee formally approved of the practice of investigating jurors and prospective jurors using social media. That is Googling jurors during voir dire is legit. Here’s how it worked during a recent felony trial in Brooklyn. I […]

To All the Patriots Out There, and Especially Our Public Defenders

Happy 4th of July! Today we celebrate the triumph of individual liberty over tyranny. Ours is a proud history that understands that unless checked, government has the tendency to oppress those it is supposed to serve. Our founding fathers created […]

The Lawyer’s Critical Advocacy at First Appearances

Note from Ed Monahan: NAPD invited Maryland Law School Professor Doug Colbert to share his ideas and suggestions for public defenders’ and assigned counsel’s effective representation of indigent clients at their first appearance before a judicial officer.  Doug founded and directs […]

The Broken Bail System

This year Maryland came very close to starting the process of correcting our state’s broken bail bond process in a small but important way, though special interests blocked its passage in the Legislature. Now, New Jersey is examining its bail […]

Mark Stanziano – We Have Lost a Warrior

"Mark Stanziano has been shot and killed outside his office."  Ed Monahan, Kentucky Public Advocate, called me and told me the news about 9:40 today, the 27th of June.  I was intending to write an article about NAPD's strategic planning.  That doesn't seem […]

The Importance of Teambuilding To Creating an Environment for Success

There was a classic Budweiser commercial some years back, where an athlete was questioned about his “me first” attitude.  After blaming all his failures on his teammates, the interview ended with the following exchange:  Reporter:     There's no “I” in Team Athlete:        There ain't […]

From Magic to Law: The Han Tak Lee Case and Arson Investigation

“‘Slow and painful has been man’s progress from magic to law.’ This proverb, inscribed at the University of Pennsylvania Law School on the statue of Hseih-Chai, a mythological Chinese beast who was endowed with the faculty of discerning the guilty, […]

End Automatic Shackling for Juveniles

Washington has joined the growing list of states that no longer permit automatic shacking of juveniles. Courts must now make an individualized determination that restraint is necessary for safety concerns or to prevent a likelihood of flight before a child […]