In Trial Again... Almost

 Posted on May 15, 2007 in Uncategorized

This morning I went to court in Richmond (Fort Bend County, one of those abutting Harris County, and an area from which many people commute to Houston), geared up to try an indecency with a child case. When I got to court, I learned that another indecency case was up before mine, and that it would probably go to trial. So after an hour or so of sitting in court, my client left with a new court date in October. So in October I'll have to get warmed up again to try this case. (Is this something that happens to defenders in other jurisdictions, or is it unique to Texas?)

I could have left with my client, but instead I volunteered to help the defender pick a jury on the case that did go to trial. So as I write this, we're on our lunch break. I'm in the county law library (free Wifi) and I'm about to head back to the courtroom.

The judge, who is new to the criminal courts, questioned the panel briefly before lunch, we met with a few of the jurors about matters sensitive to them at the beginning of the break, and we'll return in 15 minutes for the prosecutrix, formerly of the Bronx DA's office (she claims not to have read David Feige's book, "Indefensible") to talk to the jury. I'll report back later on any lessons I discover in her voir dire.