@Teri_Kanefield what does that even mean? Do they think if they were less patient, things would have played out differently? Like Garland is setting his timeline by checking comments on social media.
It's a follow up from last week, answering some of the questions and comments I got.
In response to people telling me that I am overestimating the ability of people to decode legal news, I attempt to prove this hypothesis:
If people stop listening to legal pundits speculating, they wouldn’t feel confused and they wouldn’t think they need help from lawyers decoding the news.
When the prosecution rests in the Manhattan case, I plan to read the transcripts so far looking for evidence that supports the elements of particular crimes.
This is my thing: Reading trial transcripts. My job was reading trial transcripts looking for appealable errors.
Shall I tell you my favorite moment in a transcript?
The defendant (yes, my client) walked in to court with baggy pants. The judge (a woman) was offended and angry. She thought the defendant was disrespecting her.
She was so angry that the prosecutor felt bad for the young man and came to his defense. (It's hard to read emotion in a transcript, but she was obviously furious for the prosecutor to come to his defense.)
First the defense lawyer tried to explain that it was (unfortunately) the current fashion.
The prosecutor confirmed that it is a fashion.
The judge said, "Well. It's a fashion felony." (Reading it, I could allmost 'hear' her sputtering.)
@Teri_Kanefield
If he is in the mood for a road trip, the historic courthouse in Auburn is beautiful to look at. But it is built on top of a hill, with dozens of steps once you make the climb up the sidewalk. As a result, it is not very accessible for mobility impaired people. A clever person might be able to figure out a solution that incorporates art with functionality. (And there is a really good farmers market every Saturday in the parking lot down below the courthouse).
The extent to which lawyers and politicians are held in low regard reflects our American sense of "entitlement." We feel entitled to have Right* prevail, to have lawyers only represent the innocent (or us), and to have politicians always deliver on promises as if they were Kings.
I'm a fan of both maligned groups: it takes a certain temperament to pursue either challenging career. Hat's off. To teachers and librarians, too.😎
@Teri_Kanefield
Thank you for another thoughtful post! But as someone who avoids partisan legal punditry, I still think you overestimate the legibility of the actual legal facts to non-lawyers. For example, you mention googling parallel cases, but most of us don't know of any parallel cases or even what issues would make a case parallel (though I did learn that Oliver North went to trial after 11 months, and Steven Rosen didn't, even after years). So I got there, but I value your explanations!
I am getting questions across a few soical media sites about the ongoing trials.
I gave some quick answers about the problems with this.
Maybe, for my next blog post, I should offer a more thoughtful and thorough answer about what a lawyer can actually say that is valuable as a trial progresses.
It will probably appeal to my geekiest readers and annoy everyone else.
Maybe I should call it: "Beware the Lawyers." (Like "beware the Ides of March" but worse.)
@Teri_Kanefield well done. A more concise and clear write up of the path that got so much of that law to where we are than I have seen before. Thank you for it.
Of course the problem has gotten worse since 1998.
This explains how news junkies who consume lots of legal opinions like this: "this is a strong case!" or "the special counsel is screwing up!" end up less informed and more unhinged from facts and reality.
@Teri_Kanefield At least news junkies read and consume news. News junkies may not be literate in legal opinions as you’d like, Teri. But there is a massive chasm between those who actively seek out political news and the vast majority of the country. And the media ecosystem itself (which includes X & FB) has shifted away from news and politics.
If they confine themselves to actual news, you are correct.
If they are watching cable TV and listening to legal pundits offering evaluation about how well the prosecution is performing its investigative functions, it is not "news."
It is entertainment.
Such people are less informed because they become more unhinged from facts.
Meanwhile, my 3-year old neice (grand niece? what do I call my niece's daughter?) taught me to play hide and seek.
Here's how:
💠 I tell her where I'll hide.
💠She closes her eyes and counts to 10.
💠When she reaches 10, she opens her eyes and looks for me.
💠It does't take long to find me.
💠Then we laugh.
I suspect I am supposed to tell her where I will hide so she doesn't feel scared when she opens her eyes and doesn't see me.
@Teri_Kanefield My neighbor’s chihuahua mix goes nuts if anything or anyone approaches (within 20 feet) of their house. She runs under furniture to keep barking while you’re trying to have a convo with the neighbors and they are trying to shush her. However, one night 3 prowlers were all over their backyard, and little princess could not be bothered to wake up from her snuggle spot. JJ seems to be ON THE JOB regardless. #TeamJJ