Sunday, December 5, 2010

Seriously? Already?

Every time we reset a case in court we write the new date on the front of the file. And, like I'll be doing with my check book for about three months, I keep writing 2010 when I mean 2011.

That's because I can't believe it's about to be 2011.

It helped this weekend when I put up the Xmas tree and strung lights over the big tree in my front yard. That gets me in the spirit. Today's cold front helped, too.

Now, because it's the end of the year, people will be making lists. Lists for Santa and lists of their top ten for 2010, as well as lists tallying up the things they have achieved.

And because I hate to come in last, I thought I'd start listing and tallying a few weeks before everyone else. So here are a few random bits and pieces from 2010.

COURT STUFF:
  • Number of jury trials first-chaired: 3
  • Percentage won: 66.66666666666666
  • Number of jury trials second-chaired: 1
  • Percentage won: 0.0000000000000
  • Number of murder cases assigned: 4
  • Number of murder cases resolved: 1 (guilty verdict)
  • Finest moment: being asked, in front of the jury, by an unashamed crack user/prostitute: "Why aren't you wearing underwear?"
  • Number of defendants who had me wondering about my personal safety: 1*
  • Number of defendants who thanked me after their plea deal: 7
  • Number of "Thank You" cards received from victims: 1*
Number of humongously strong defendants who, while in custody awaiting trial, kicked open a locked, steel, jail door: 1 *

* Same case.

BLOG STUFF:
  • Visits to my blog since January 1, 2010: 29,359
  • Number of visitors from Iran: 1
  • Number of visitors from Mongolia: 3
  • Number of visitors from the Philippines: 26
  • Number of visitors from Israel: 89
  • Number of visitors from USA: 27,995
  • Number of posts my boss has told me to pull or chastised me for: 0
  • Prosecutor who appears most in keyword searches: Chris Baugh
  • Prosecutor who's most surprised it's not him: Me

Anything you'd like to know about along these lines?

9 comments:

  1. Three first chair jury trials for a whole year?

    Can I have your job? My current one as a scuba instructor in Costa Rica is more stressful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sure, as long as I can have yours. :)

    You know, I was thinking about counting up the number of cases I actually handled, starting in January, and keeping a running total for the whole of next year. Be interesting to know, I think, and might make you want to retain your scuba-diving gig.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How often do you do contested probation revocations? How many of those did you do during the year?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Not often. Those on probation tend to get continued as much as possible, to get them the treatment they need. When they are faced with revocation it's usually because they've done something that's a pretty extreme violation (or series of them) and so can't realistically contest them. Thinking about it, I may have done just one or two of these this past year (though I have one set for next Monday).

    ReplyDelete
  5. I apologize if my comment offended! I was attempting to be a smarty-pants, and apparently failed.

    You don't have to publish this one, either, but I'm sincere. I love your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. * sounds like the most interesting trial ever.

    I have had one in my lifetime where the defendant shook my hand and said "I know you are just doing your job"

    That one was interesting. And it was one that was tried all the way out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh it was. The gentleman in question had a tattoo on the side of his neck that read: Hard Hitter. Not, I believe, an exaggeration.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You forgot your occasional reader in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (I split my time between both)! Or did I come up as Israel?! Hope not...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Simon: I have someone from what Google calls "Palestine territories" - 6 visits in the past year. Is that you? Hope so, very cool to have a reader from over there. (I can see you average 8 minutes and 33 secs on the site. That's some good reading.:))

    ReplyDelete

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I welcome all comments, as long as they are expressed with politeness and respect. I will delete all comments that I deem to be personal attacks, or that are posted merely to antagonize or insult.