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Transcript of His Honor’s Handwashing Liturgy, or The Defendant’s Romero...
Under California’s Three Strikes law, defendants with two or more serious or violent felony convictions receive a minimum sentence of 25 years-to-life for a third serious or violent felony. However,...
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How often do you win?
Click for Video: The Chewbacca Defense Dear Norm: How often do you win? Sincerely, Johnnie Cochran’s Ghost Dear Late Mr. Cochran: If by “win” you mean that I get to do a job I enjoy and that I think is...
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Friday Haiku
The bad man licked me where I go pee, she cried, and I must take his side.
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Superior Orders
Do you know what’s even more difficult than dealing with someone who is outraged? It’s even more difficult to deal with someone who refuses to acknowledge that they are outraged and thus acting...
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Thoughts From the Event Horizon
My client is facing trial for stabbing a rival gang member. In court, his neck tattoos and gang colors do him no good. Since he was the only other person at the scene besides the victim, he must...
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Norm reviews Jeff Adachi’s “The Slanted Screen”
I have been a Netflix subscriber for more than five years, and I am genuinely impressed by its ability to recommend movies based on my previous viewing habits. However, it’s recommendations rarely...
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Through the Looking Glass or What the Fortune Teller Taught Me About Burnout
Once upon a time, in the days after Young Norm had discovered girls but before girls had discovered Young Norm, a carnival came to a certain small town in California. Between the henna tattoo tent and...
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Where Did All You People Come From?
So I started this blog (or blawg, get it?) with the goal of it being equal parts catharsis and creative writing project. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the number of people who stumble upon this...
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Journey Through the Sealed Transcript, or Marsden Motions: A “Choose Your Own...
“I want a Marsden motion!” my client proclaimed from his seat in the jury box. When a courtroom is not used for a trial, the jury box is typically used to seat 12-14 inmates, handcuffed in pairs,...
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A Tourist’s View of County Lock-Up
Dear Norm: What is it like to visit a client in jail? Sincerely, Elmo Burnt hot dog water. That’s the first thing I smell when I enter any of our county’s jails and the last thing I remember as I walk...
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Norm Reviews: Gideon’s Army
When assistant public defender Travis Williams promised the camera that he would tattoo the name of every client who lost at jury trial on his back, my first thought was, “He’s going to run out of...
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How do I know if my lawyer is doing a good job?
Dear Norm: I have a public defender, and I have no idea whether he’s doing a good job for me. In fact, several of the things he does in court make me really, really nervous. Also, the things he hasn’t...
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Reasonable Courses of Action for Those Who Might Not Come Home Alive.
“This isn’t a court of justice, son. This is a court of law.” – Billy Bragg When a jury of six people found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin, I found myself utterly unable to...
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To The Wolves…
A client of mine was recently sentenced to 19 years in state prison. His sentencing took place a handful of days after his 18th birthday. Prior to that, and all during the time I represented this...
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Friday Haiku
The following is a search engine query that led someone to this blog: The police and the courts had tunnel vision and didn’t give me bail.
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Norm Reviews: Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black (OITNB) is the newest program in Netflix’s burgeoning foray into original content. The premise is based upon the true story of Piper Kermin, a self-described WASP from Boston...
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A Modest Proposal for the Looming California Prison Crisis
In order to comply with a federal court order, Governor Jerry Brown must release 10,000 more prisoners by the end of this year. Over the past 15 years, California’s prison population has ballooned by...
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It Looks Like You’re Trying to Instruct a Jury…
Good Morning, Your Honor! It looks like you’re working on a set of jury instructions. How exciting! Clearly you’re in the midst of a jury trial, and you’re almost ready for the closing arguments. Of...
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Profiles in Happenstance
Chasing Truth, Catching Hell turns one year old today. A surprising amount has happened since then; my cathartic creative writing project is now featured on the ABA Journal’s “blawg” roll and has...
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A Brief Foray Into Self-Promotion
Dear Readers: Chasing Truth, Catching Hell has been selected to join the ABA Journal’s “Blawg 100,” the Journal’s annual list of the 100 legal blogs that it recommends to its readers. I am honored that...
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