Criminal Law

Midterm Madness

Posted on November 10, 2009
When I got to my office this morning (early, I might add), I already had two messages from one client who was scheduled for court today.  I already had her file on my desk, so I was pretty familiar with it, and I was prepared to see her in court...

TV, my great escape

Posted on November 04, 2009
1.  I was thinking of quitting Greek at the end of the season like I quit The Secret Life.  I was disappointed when Jordan moved away.  What happened there?  Rusty & Jordan were so cute together and then she just moves away?  But, after last week's episode...

Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted on November 01, 2009
Ok, people who couldn't get Blonde Justice working before...  Can you see it now? If so, much thanks for my friend windypundit.  If not, well, we're going to have more work to do.

Frustration

Posted on October 18, 2009
Ok, so, Blogger has this whole "new template" thing.   I've tried switching to the new template thing, but I think it looks so crowded and ugly, that it makes me not want to use it.  So, stick with the old template then, right?  But when I do, it can't be viewed in Internet Explorer, apparently...

To access blog feed reader register for free. (You will also learn about new ways to read and access the freshest law blogs.)

The Penalty for Blogging

Posted on September 20, 2009
Sometimes people ask me if it would really be that bad if I got outed as Blonde Justice. I don't know, I try to be pretty careful, I don't name names, I change details of stories to protect others' privacy and confidentiality but still convey my experiences...

Alright, It's Over

Posted on September 01, 2009
I've finally made my decision. I'm deleting my Tivo season pass of The Secret Life of the American Teenager.I just can't take it anymore. It almost got saved with that little cameo of the guy from My Boys. But, honestly, it's not even one of my favorite guys from My Boys (Brendo)...

Blonde Justice would like to remind you...

Posted on August 20, 2009
No matter how hot it may be outside, proper courtroom attire requires that you wear a shirt over your bra. Even if it is a really cute pink push-up bra with a big bow on it. And, no, that bow does not count as a "shirt."

That's The Power of...

Posted on August 15, 2009
Here's a new one. I don't know how to break this to you, but... having a signed Power of Attorney does not make you an attorney. For example..."You've done an ok job and all, but you're fired.""Alright. Did you hire a new lawyer? The judge isn't going to let me off the case unless there's another lawyer to take over...

Locked Up Abroad

Posted on August 02, 2009
Yes, I watch a lot of criminal justice themed TV in my "vegging out" downtime on the couch.One of the ones I;m loving right now is Locked Up Abroad on Nat Geo.Here's the premise: Regular Joes (and Josies) , whether American, Canadian, British, whatever, get locked up in other countries...

A Little Update

Posted on July 18, 2009
Here's what's going on:Working hard. Lots of cases. Each more serious than the next. And even when they're not that serious, the prosecutor likes to treat them like they're serious. Which makes my life tougher.I'm trying to take some time off over the summer, enjoy the weather a little bit, take a few days off...

Life Lessons

Posted on June 29, 2009
Important lessons I've learned from The Secret Life of the American Teenager, from ABC Family...1. If you have sex before you get married, your father will die. Immediately. And, moreover, the better the sex, the more tragic and horrible the death will die...

Raising The Bar Returns

Posted on June 08, 2009
Raising The Bar is back tonight. Set your Tivo machine.

Prioritizing Your Trial Preparation

Posted on June 02, 2009
"Listen. I don't care if you want to send me on a wild goose chase, looking for some kind of alibi that doesn't exist. If you want me to go here and there, looking for places that might have you on video, looking for proof that doesn't exist. I don't mind...

Apparently, I Would Slap My Father

Posted on May 31, 2009
Have you heard about this? It's in every newspaper. The articles, such as this from the New York Times (try bugmenot.com if you need a password): Op-Ed Columnist - Would You Slap Your Father? If So, You?re a Liberal, basically describes how liberals and conservatives express the emotion of disgust at different things...

Ounce of Prevention

Posted on May 07, 2009
I try to be a holistic attorney. Generally, the younger the client, the more time I spend on the little extras - reminding them about court dates, reminding them about things they can do between court dates to help their case, helping them figure out how to avoid further legal trouble...

A Recipe By Blonde Justice

Posted on April 21, 2009
Start by slicing a little bit of avocado for the tiny salad you're having for dinner.As you're eating dinner, start to wonder what you should do with the rest of the avocado.Try googling "how to store avocado" and then "how to start avocado cut." Find out you need lemon or lime juice to make the avocado not brown...

Pardon The Dust

Posted on April 13, 2009
I found out that Blonde Justice wasn't loading right in Internet Explorer, so now I'm messing with new templates. Please excuse the appearance while I tidy up.

I met with a client last Tuesday

Posted on April 09, 2009
I met with a client last Tuesday at the jail. He's an older Latino man in his late fifties, and he's been here in the U.S. for almost twenty years. Still, his English isn't great, and when we're in the courtroom we use the Spanish interpreter.But I stopped by to see him at the jail without arranging for an interpreter...

PDs Rolling With The Punches

Posted on March 25, 2009
Speaking of dealing with difficult clients (and clearly, some are more "difficult" than others)...A reader tipped me off to this story from the Connecticut Law Tribune about defendants assaulting their public defenders.Lawyers on the BullseyeBy Christian NolanThe Connecticut Law TribuneIn 2006 when Hartford Superior Court Judge Thomas Miano refused to let Juan Vazquez, convicted of assault and robbery, withdraw his guilty pleas, Vazquez quickly turned and punched his lawyer, public defender Michael Isko, in the mouth...

Fail.

Posted on March 22, 2009
I haven't had much to write about lately, but one thing came up lately that might be worth writing about.I got a new client at the beginning of last week. His case is very serious, he is facing a lot of time. And it's not as if he's new to the "system," he's done quite a bit of prison time in the past...

It Always Comes Back To Eyewitness IDs

Posted on March 17, 2009
I don't know about you, but I feel like I can study it for hours, and I still can never fully wrap my mind around how our minds can trick us when it comes to identifying other people.Dahlia Lithwick on Eyewitness Identifications at Slate.com

Withdrawal

Posted on March 01, 2009

How to Prepare for Trial: Step Four

Posted on February 11, 2009
(Links to: Steps One, Two and Three)It's time to take care of some logistics.If you have non-paper exhibits you'll want to use (e.g. computer programs, tapes, DVDs, etc.) it's best to contact the court as early as possible to find out what they supply and what you'll need to bring with you...

How to Prepare for Trial: Step Three

Posted on January 22, 2009
(Step one was here, step two was here.)Perhaps I got a little carried away at the end of step two, when I wrote that the next step would be to formulate the opening argument, the cross-examination and so forth.Before you can do that, you need to put some serious thought into your theory of the case: What are you trying to convince the jury of? Are you conceding it happened, but it wasn't your client that did it? Are you saying it never happened? Are you convincing the jury that someone is lying or mistaken? And if so, who?I think the biggest mess a defense attorney can get themselves into is not knowing their theory of the case...

Black & Decker B1500

Posted on January 16, 2009
Please don't think Blonde Justice has been hijacked. I promise to return soon with more on how to prep a trial.But I need to go off-topic for just a moment. I recently inherited a Black & Decker B1500 Bread Machine. In looking through bread machine cookbooks, I found that most of them give a list of ingredients, and then tell you to add them to the machine as per your machine's manual...

How to Prepare For Trial: Step Two

Posted on January 01, 2009
(continued from Step One, here)Now is the time to decide whether you are going to be a trial notebook (a.k.a. binder) lawyer, or a trial file (a.k.a. redweld) lawyer. Part of this is going to depend on what you were taught or what is the predominant culture in your office - I've worked in an office that didn't stock redwelds because everyone was into binders and I've worked in an office that didn't stock binders because everyone used redwelds...

Now With Pronunciation Guide, Free!

Posted on December 16, 2008
After a long day of thinking and whatnot, today's post will attempt to answer one simple question. I hope this helps you, dear googler, where ever you may be....br /a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4...

How to Prepare For Trial: Step One

Posted on December 14, 2008
I suppose, to do it right, this will have to be a multi-post topic, spread over the next few weeks or months as it fits into my schedule of actual trial preparation.Just a disclaimer: This is not the only way to prepare a trial, nor do I believe it's necessarily the best way...

Here We Go Again

Posted on December 13, 2008
Right now, I'm prepping a trial. I am always prepping some trial.I would say that maybe one percent of my cases go to trial. Maybe less. I can usually get a good sense, early on, which cases might possibly go to trial. A small percentage of those actually do...

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Posted on December 08, 2008
I had a professor in law school who also practiced law. (Those of you who haven't gone to law school are probably thinking this goes without saying, but in the weird world of law school, it's quite unusual, and in fact, some law professors have never even attempted to practice law...

Misery Loves Company

Posted on December 03, 2008
I can't help but reflect sometimes, on how my life is different (read: better) this year than last year. One surprise is how much being a public defender again has improved my friendships. I have more free time and energy, and I've made an effort to dedicate some of it to my friendships that were, unfortunately, neglected last year...

Because I'm "Quirky"

Posted on December 02, 2008
Although I'm happy just to be nominated, I'd love to get your vote and actually win for once. If there's anything I've learned this year, it's that a little hope can go a long way in a big election.So, please go to the ABA Journal website and vote for Blonde Justice...

Deep Thoughts, by Blonde Justice

Posted on November 26, 2008
Back in, like, the 70s, marijuana was called "dope," right? But now, I think, "dope" means heroin. Anyway, I'm wondering if that ever gets confusing. Like, for old drug dealers who were around in the 70s.You're like, "Hey, man, can I get some dope?" and they're like "Marijuana dope or heroin dope?" And then, since you're starting to feel paranoid anyway, you're like, "What are you a cop? You're trying to get me to say the exact name of the drug?" and then, the old drug dealer never makes any sales...

Inspired

Posted on November 16, 2008
I haven't had a lot to say. But I decided to make a short little mix tape inspired by the election. It will give us something to listen to as we navigate the merging of Sirius and XM channels over the next few days. Now, where did my all my favorite stations go?

I Voted

Posted on November 04, 2008
All I can say today is, I voted. And it was good.Now, we wait. (And possibly sleep.)I really hope that this won't be another election where we have to stay up all night (and then a few weeks more) awaiting results. Because I have a trial tomorrow, and I don't want to be tired for it.

This is Halloween, This is Halloween

Posted on October 30, 2008
I have a Halloween tradition. One night (usually during the week leading up to Halloween), I like to turn out all the lights, light up all my pumpkin decorations in the windows, and watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. Now, it just came to my attention that some people have never seen The Nightmare Before Christmas...

Silver Lining of Funny

Posted on October 29, 2008
My job hasn't been filled with funny stories lately, mostly sad.But there was one sad story that had a tiny funny silver lining.My client, who had been out on bail, had to show up to court, and I knew that it was extremely likely that the judge was going to revoke his bail and lock him up...

Breaking News

Posted on October 28, 2008
Blonde Justice has just endorsed Barack Obama for president. And not just because of these hot pink pins...(now available on Cafe Press.)

Zima Confession Time

Posted on October 21, 2008
MillerCoors announced this week that the malternative beverage known as Zima, introduced by Coors Brewing in 1992, would be discontinued. Zima was my underage drink of choice.And I have a confession to make. I've never told anyone this. One year, my college roommate and I had a bad relationship...

Seriously

Posted on October 20, 2008
Fla. Woman Chooses To Go To Jail Over $7.45 BillThis is newsworthy? I have clients every day who go to jail every day for not paying their $2 bus or train fare so that they can get to work, get to their drug program, get their mental health medication, get their kids to and from the doctor, get to the welfare office, get to court...

Giving Lip

Posted on October 19, 2008
Not Martha blogged about Nivea lip balms, so I was excited to finally get two to try. But, strangely, the two that I got (and the others that I saw at my drug store) are not at all the ones in her post (even the second photo with the Nivea display). I got Nivea A Kiss of Shimmer Pearly Shimmer Lip Care and Nivea A Kiss of Rejuvenation Q10+ Anti-Aging Lip Care SPF 4...

Blonde Bits and Pieces

Posted on October 10, 2008
I've got a few little things I want to post. First, how about some music to get you through it?I was the mix tape princess of the early 90s. Matter of fact, I feel so old, but when I went to college we still made mix tapes for our sorority parties. I was elected "tune mistress" or whatever we called that position...

Reviewing Raising the Bar

Posted on October 07, 2008
I've wanted to review Raising the Bar since it started. But I get so behind in my tivo watching, that I haven't been able to review a recent episode. But I'm caught up. So, here goes:First, let me say that I wasn't too impressed by the pilot. I wasn't sure where this was going...

A Scene From Jury Selection

Posted on October 06, 2008
Different places do jury selection differently.The old place had the jury come into and out of the room. Come in so we can talk to you, send you out so we can talk about you. Come back in so we can talk to you again. Send you back out so we can decide who we want and who we don't...

Blonde Mamma Mia

Posted on October 01, 2008
Don't laugh, because I'm not joking. I couldn't even make this up.After months and months of my mother telling me how good the movie Mamma Mia was, and how I really need to see it, and how she wants to get the soundtrack... It was finally revealed that my blonde mother thinks that the songs in Mamma Mia are NEW and that they were written for the movie...

You Can Just Disregard This...

Posted on September 29, 2008
Sometimes, I reach a point where I have posted anything to the blog in a few weeks, and then I start to get this weird writer's block, like, what could possibly be interesting enough, important enough, to return to blogging after such an absence?And then I need to just post some dumb "throw away" post like this, just to get things going again...

Raising The Bar

Posted on September 12, 2008
Unfortunately, I don't really have time right now to right a whole little review, but I don't want you to think it went unnoticed that the second episode of Raising the Bar was a pretty big improvement over the first episode (pilot). I shall keep watching.

Job Hunting Tips

Posted on September 11, 2008
I am loving the bad on campus interview ("OCI") stories over at Above The Law. Especially "Comment 83," but be warned, it's a little off-color. Anyway, I've got one story. It's not really an interview story, but it is a good "don't" story for law school students interested in finding a job...

A Public Defender Once Again

Posted on September 10, 2008
A recap of my first few days as a public defender.I had to wait around a half-day while someone found the person who was supposed to know where my office was going to be. I met my supervisor. I finally found an office, although I've been told it's only temporary...

First Reactions to "Raising the Bar"

Posted on September 03, 2008
I liked Indefensible. A lot. So, I'm willing to give Raising the Bar another episode or two.I'd really like to see more of a serious, intelligent Law & Order from a public defender's point of view. If I cared about everyone-is-sleeping-with-everyone, I'd watch soap operas...

Introspection

Posted on September 01, 2008
Is it time to start the introspection already? I guess so. Here goes.I've been unhappy in private practice. For the most part, my remedy has been to "put on a happy face." I try to resist acting outwardly depressed, to the extent that I can control it...

Can't Judge A Magazine By Its Title

Posted on August 26, 2008
This has nothing to do with either looking back at my current career or looking forward to being a public defender (again). It's just something funny.Over at Above the Law , there is a post about an upcoming legal magazine for women. They're looking for the perfect name and are accepting votes...

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Posted on August 25, 2008
Two weeks from now, I will once again have my dream job. Public defender.I've got a lot going on in the next two weeks, including a possible jury trial, but I also have a few posts in my head I want to write, a kind of self-debriefing as I move on.Thanks for going along on this ride with me.

OMG!

Posted on August 21, 2008
My former BFF, who you previously read about here and here, and who is now on facebook...Has updated her photo to be a wedding photo! And she added one of my friends as her friend, and wrote on our mutual friend's wall about where she's living and what her new husband does...

More Questions Than Answers

Posted on August 18, 2008
Please allow me to kick the horse that may already be dead and follow up on one comment to More On Defending The Guilty...Gidge, a (former?) prosecutor, comments:I'd rather have the hypothetical "how could I get out of..." questions than someone make assumptions why I'm in my job...

But, Everyone Likes Cake, Don't They?

Posted on August 16, 2008
Stop me if I told you this one before. It happened a while ago, but I don't think I ever wrote about it.It was the first round of voir dire (jury selection). The courtroom is packed with almost one hundred perspective jurors, filling the audience. We start by addressing the first twelve as a panel...

Facebook Weirdness

Posted on August 13, 2008
So, I joined facebook a few months ago. It was all well and good until...In the past few days, I've run into a few things on facebook that just make me feel... weird. There's no other word for it. First, someone I didn't know at all added me as a friend...

More on Defending The Guilty

Posted on August 07, 2008
Anonymous Law Student follows up on my post on how to answer the oft-asked question, "How can you represent someone when you know he's guilty?" complete with a funny video!One of the interesting things that comes out of ALS's post is:It seems to me that there was a consensus that asking a person, "how can you defend someone you *know* is guilty" at a social gathering is somewhat crass...

Apollo Justice? It's an Injustice!

Posted on August 05, 2008
Here's a first. My first video game review.I found myself playing this video game, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. I just figured it out while "researching" for this blog post, but apparently it's a sequel to the more popular Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney...

Cold Brewed Coffee

Posted on August 02, 2008
I guess I can get away with one more food-related post before everyone takes me off their criminal lawyer blogrolls...Today, after reading all of the publicity, I tried cold-brewed coffee. I made it myself, and it is delicious.I happened to have a french press already, so I used that...

Hummus Talk

Posted on July 31, 2008
Somewhat random, but I wanted to mention...One thing you didn't know about me is that I love hummus. I'm a little bit of a hummus fanatic. I've been eating hummus nearly daily for about 8 years. I like to try different kinds of hummus, I like to make different kinds of hummus, I just really like hummus...

Wool Over Your Eyes

Posted on July 28, 2008
If I ruled the world, I wouldn't let kids be prosecutors right out of law school. Or, without having some kind of prior job or career or life experience. It's not that I'm that much older than 24 (really, I'm not!), it just disturbs me to hear these 24-year-old kids, who are still living off daddy's trust funds, judge someone, as if they've ever walked a mile in any shoes...

Defendants on the Web

Posted on July 20, 2008
This is an interesting read: The Associated Press: Web networking photos come back to bite defendants.The issue of myspace or facebook pages, etc., comes up more often in private practice than it does as a public defender. Matter of fact, literally just this morning I got an email invite on my work address to be a facebook "friend" from one of my clients...

It's Not Perfect, But It's The Best I've Got

Posted on July 04, 2008
Let's say you were a doctor. And you had a patient. And he had AIDS. And it was totally his own fault. You know that he contracted from unprotected sex or sharing needles. Would you still treat him? But, how could you help fight AIDS when he totally did it to himself?What about a patient who has emphysema or lung cancer but smoked his entire life? How could you help him fight the emphysema or lung cancer when you know he totally did it to himself? Does he really deserve a doctor and medicine when he did it to himself? What about a kid who comes into the emergency room? He was doing stunts with his motorcycle and pretty much nearly killed himself - now he needs emergency surgery in your E...

Chartiable Contributions

Posted on June 30, 2008
Some cases are clearly slam dunk winners for my clients. When those cases come along, a decision needs to be made - you can either go to the prosecutor and say, "Here's why your case is a loser..." and hope they see it your way and dismiss it, or you can sit back and wait for the trial, and win it...

Sudoku-Playing Jurors

Posted on June 10, 2008
Do I mind when jurors don't pay attention to the trial? I guess if they miss some of the evidence against my client, it might be ok. But in general, I feel like they're about to make a serious decision, they should give it their full attention. In Sydney, Sudoku-playing jurors make judge stop drug trial...

Glamour Contests

Posted on June 04, 2008
I bookmarked this Glamour Contests Website where you can enter all of the contests from Glamour magazine. When I'm on the phone with a client who is repeating himself over and over, I enter to win a trip to Jamaica. Or sandals. Or sunglasses. But I think the trip to Jamaica would be the sweetest justice...

Hypo-Vic, The Conclusion

Posted on May 21, 2008
I feel like I can't really move on to any other real topics until I wrap-up the "Vic the hypocrite" issue.I think it is really interesting that the comments really run the gamut. But, overall, I think Arvin hit the nail on the head:Like your post on vegetarianism, doesn't it depend on WHY Vic wants the prosecution to go easy on his clients when he's the defense attorney?For example, say he believes in the yin and yang theory...

For All My Public Defender Friends

Posted on May 16, 2008
Nine Ways To Prevent Job Burnout from Forbes.com. Apparently it has much more to do with diet and exercise than I ever knew. Somewhat interesting.

Can the Defense Ever Be Pro-Prosecution?

Posted on April 23, 2008
I had dinner with a bunch of criminal defense attorneys the other night. Some in private practice, some public defenders. The subject arose of another criminal defense attorney, who wasn't present, who had recently been a crime victim. We'll call him "Vic," because that seems like a good law school hypothetical crime victim name...

Let The Record Reflect...

Posted on April 12, 2008
Just when you think YOU'VE had a bad day in court, you get to read the transcript of a really bad day in court. Court reporter to razor-wielding defendant: "I will beat the shit out of you." - By Bonnie Goldstein - Slate MagazineLet this be a reminder to all of our clients - everything you say and do in the courtroom becomes part of the record...

Doomed to Repeat It

Posted on April 09, 2008
So... remember last year, when tax day was approaching, and I couldn't find my W-2s? Do you think maybe I learned something from that?Yes, I learned that I should have left them on the coffee table, where I throw the mail every day. Because then, at least, this comment I left on my own blog would be like a little breadcrumb, leading me in the right direction...

Conflict Avoidance Behavior

Posted on March 23, 2008
One of the many perks of representing wealthier clients is that they can afford expert evaluations. They can go to doctors of all different specialties, who can diagnose their conditions and write glowing letters to the court. In particular, they can go to psychiatrists and psychologists who can write about their condition (most often, depression) and how that led to their behavior...

On Judgmentalism and Vegetarianism

Posted on March 21, 2008
To be clear, I thought the host was wrong to say "oh well, I cooked with meat, but it's ok because he's an overweight vegetarian." And I think anyone has the right to eat (or not eat) whatever they choose. But, when you make a point of changing everyone else's meal to meet your wishes or needs, I think it's fair to assume you might open yourself up to their questions or concerns...

On Vegetarianism

Posted on March 19, 2008
On the subject of hypocrites, here is today's question: Are vegetarians hypocrites?First, the preface, which is probably pretty obvious if you're a long time Blonde Justice reader: I eat meat. Plenty of it. And I enjoy it. I think that I tried a little stint as a vegetarian, maybe in junior high, I'm not too sure why...

Stickler

Posted on March 14, 2008
There's another associate at my firm who was previously a prosecutor here - in the courthouse where I practice now. Now he's at the firm but he doesn't do criminal defense - I'm the only criminal defense associate.It makes for an interesting dynamic...

Cop "Overdoses" on Confiscated Pot

Posted on March 05, 2008
A police officer and his wife from Dearborn, Michigan cooked up a batch of *special* brownies that included marijuana he confiscated from a suspect. He then called 911 because he thought they were dying of an overdose. Key lines include "I think we're dead" and "Time is going by real slow...

My New Distraction

Posted on February 25, 2008
Sometimes, in court, I like to play "What's (s)he here for?" You know, sometimes it's funny because it's obvious: You see a humongous body-builder guy, acne scars and all, and you think to yourself, "Steroids." And you feel a little rewarded when they call his case and, sure enough, you've guessed right...

Back To Business

Posted on February 24, 2008
Enough whining, let's get down to the good stuff.I'm going to go set up a Blawgers Baseball League. Meet me over at Blawgers Baseball (the blog.)

Explanation

Posted on February 09, 2008
So, the short story is that I'm not all that happy in private practice. I guess you could say that I'm the opposite of happy.It's a little hard for me to express exactly what I don't like about it. I guess it's a combination of things. I guess the biggest reason is that I just don't feel like I'm doing the work that I've always wanted to do...

While You're Drinking Diet Snapple

Posted on February 06, 2008
So, I guess I've been on the quiet side for the last few weeks.I don't know, I've got things in my head, I just haven't been able to put them down in words.But, you I can show you something funny.If you haven't seen this yet, here's my little gift to you: "I'm F*cking Matt Damon"Tee hee hee.

Everything I Need to Know...

Posted on January 20, 2008
You ever heard of that book, "Everything I Need To Know In Life I Learned in Kindergarten?" I keep thinking that some day I'm going to write my own version, "Everything I Need to Know to Not Get Arrested I Learned in Elementary School."Recently I was on trial with a client charged with larceny...

The Height of Disappointment

Posted on January 10, 2008
Tonight, as I came out of my train station, there was a man stationed at the exit, wearing a huge sombrero and giving out papers. "Yes! Finally!" I thought, "Good Mexican food! In my neighborhood! Just what we need!" I practically ran to the guy to take one of the menus he was handing out...

But Can Burt?s Bees Turn ME Green?

Posted on January 09, 2008
You may remember this post, in which I wondered whether applying Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream to my lips. might kill me. We even got some scientists involved in getting the answer.Well, just over three years later, the New York Times attempts to answer just that question, in the article Can Burt?s Bees Turn Clorox Green?If you don't want to read the three page article, we can cut to the chase:To prove his own bona fides, Mr...

Last Chance

Posted on January 01, 2008
Alright, I know it's a longshot, but I thought I'd mention that it's your last chance to vote for your favorite blog in The ABA Journal Blawg 100. Go vote for Blonde Justice in the "Crime Time" category!I'm even willing to trade votes, if you want me to vote for you in The Rodneys.

Stuck

Posted on January 01, 2008
I've never done crack. But I would assume that the addiction is a little bit like having a day to "work from home" and finding a Top Model-thon on VH1. Must... turn... off... TV. Just one more cycle!

Opening The Blonde Justice Mailbag

Posted on December 30, 2007
A commenter named Daniel asks,this is my question for you:when a criminal def is represented by the public defenders office can she bring in to the office another attorney WITHOOUT the consent of the defendant THE ATTORNEY WORKS for the client, (farretta -v- calif 1975) it is the assistant of counsel that is found in the 6th amend...

"In dealing with extremists, one must empower the people."

Posted on December 27, 2007
Some people might laugh when I mention that I get my news from Glamour magazine. Not all of it, of course, but some of it.But it was literally just yesterday that I was paging through Glamour while blow-drying my hair, and read an interview with Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto...

More "National Enquirer," Less "People Magazine"

Posted on December 20, 2007
My mother is so gullible...She's been away and hasn't really seen any news. So, when she called tonight, I gave her a few of the headlines she had missed. I told her who had won Survivor... I told her that Britney's little sister is pregnant..."No!" She couldn't believe it...

Christmas Buying Guide

Posted on December 16, 2007
There are a lot of blogs that feature holiday gift guides. They scouring the internet for great finds, and categorize them as "great gifts for your boss," or "for your roommate that you secretly don't really like" and "for the guy you just started dating, and you're not sure if it's going anywhere, and you're not sure if it's even worth it to get him a gift, but maybe you should have something on hand, in case he gives you something and you want to avoid an awkward moment...

Brown Alert

Posted on December 12, 2007
The new job means going to new jails. One jail is literally so new that it doesn't even smell like jail yet. If you've ever been to a jail, you know exactly what smell I'm talking about.Anyway, so I went to a new jail-processing unit today. I'll try to explain the layout...

Cotton Balls

Posted on December 09, 2007
Old School was on TBS this weekend. They had to clean up the language a little bit for basic cable. The funniest part was when the one guy tried to demonstrate "earmuffs." (You say "earmuffs," the kid in the room covers his ears, and then it's safe to say "bad words" in front of the kid...

ABA Journal Blawg 100

Posted on December 02, 2007
It's hard to campaign in an election that you don't even know you're in. Good thing I just found out about this: The ABA Journal Blawg 100. So, vote for Blonde Justice in the "Crime Time" category! I know there's little chance of me catching up with the big guys, but, as always, it's all about the underdog.

Thankful for Doing Nothing

Posted on November 25, 2007
So, what did I do with all my newfound freedom?Let's see. I did the whole turkey and stuffing thing. I saw family. Watched football. I had lunch with friends. Until this huge group with a bunch of loud pre-school kids (This was seriously a grown-up restaurant/tavern...

Thankful for...

Posted on November 22, 2007
I took tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving, aka "Black Friday," off. Meaning, I am not working. Not going to court. Not meeting with clients. Not writing a brief. Not going into the office. It's amazing. It's really my first day off since starting my new job...

All's Well That Ends

Posted on November 16, 2007
Ok, last funny thing about this guy, I swear. The Idiom Idiot mentioned that he used to work at this one law firm. I know someone who works there now, so I mentioned, "Hey, did you know this guy...?" And guess what his response was? "Oh God, is that the guy who only talks in one liners?" Can you imagine: He walked around a law firm doing that? Crazy...

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Posted on November 13, 2007
Sherry's friends were so annoying.I know, I know, "How annoying were they?"Ok, one friend was kind enough to bring her boyfriend. First of all, they were all lovey-dovey, kissy-kissy. ("No, I love you more," "No, I love you more...")Second of all, every single thing that he said, the entire four hours we were together, was an idiom...

On Being The Other Friend

Posted on November 11, 2007
I have this good friend, we'll name her Sherry. I'm calling her a "good friend," but the truth is that we don't talk to each other that often or see each other that often now. We both work full time, and she had a baby recently, so we're both busy, and we live about an hour from one another...

A Little Whine With Dinner

Posted on November 06, 2007
There have been some previous comments about me going out on my own, or being my own boss, or asking whether I have to bring in business... I guess my announcement that I was going into private practice was a little vague, so I'll elaborate a tiny bit...

Overmixed

Posted on October 31, 2007
I'm glad I went into private practice. So that I can fully appreciated blog posts like this one.Just imagine... a few months ago, I would've read that, and I would've been stuck thinking "I don't get it."And now I get it all too clearly.

Honesty Has Its Price

Posted on October 28, 2007
There are similarities and differences between my previous public defender clients and my current private criminal defense clients. There is also sometimes a difference in the way in which I respond to these clients.For example, every client, rich or poor, wants to know whether their case will get dismissed...

Heartbreak and Frustration

Posted on October 13, 2007
I recently sat in on a new client interview that another attorney was conducting. The potential client was a young man, 17 years old. The young man was wearing some kind of fancy polo shirt, probably from Abercrombie. And you could probably sell his jeans and buy a round of drinks for a whole bunch of public defenders...

Finally Carbonara

Posted on October 11, 2007
Guess what I made for dinner the other night. Sanchovilla's Pasta Carbonara recipe.Yummy yummy.Don't ever try to tell me this isn't a full service blog.

Simply the Best

Posted on October 07, 2007
I was tagged by Brad Parker at Where's Travis McGee?. In exchange for being named one of his top 10 blogs, I now have to post my own top 10 faves here. And then, those named are supposed to post their top 10 faves in a similar fashion. But, no pressure...

Death By Rodrigo

Posted on October 07, 2007
When I was a kid, I loved Reading Rainbow. Remember the part, at the end, when LeVar Burton said, "But you don't have to take my word for it..." and then kids reviewed books they had read? I always thought, "I'm so much smarter than these kids. I could totally do better reviews...

The Regular Season Comes to a Close

Posted on October 01, 2007
You say you gave up on the fantasy baseball season months ago, because you're a sore loser? Or you lost your password? Well, I added the standings to the Blawgers Baseball blog. So, check that out.

Adjusting. Part One

Posted on September 26, 2007
When I was a public defender, I was always a little torn about clients who wanted to hire a private lawyer.A client would ask me, "Should I get a private lawyer?" or, worse, of course, "Should I get a 'real lawyer'?" Sometimes I felt like, "Yeah, if you can afford one, you should...