Blog Posts

Herewith a debate of sorts on the morality of the death penalty and the rule of law in the Connecticut case of State v. Steven Hayes. Is killing the killer every justified? Listen to the discussion. The debate took place on WPLR on September 23, 2010: http://wplr.com/av/podcasts.html

More than once I have heard a prosecutor in trial urge a judge to admit contested evidence: "The state cannot prove its case without this evidence, your honor," the argument goes. To which I typically respond: "So what?" The rules of evidence require reliable evidence. The trial deck is not...

More than once I have heard a prosecutor in trial urge a judge to admit contested evidence: "The state cannot prove its case without this evidence, your honor," the argument goes. To which I typically respond: "So what?" The rules of evidence require reliable evidence. The trial deck is not...

I note the irony for what it is worth: On this, the 666th post on this blog site, I am announcing a change to a new blog site: http://www.pattisblog.com/. I am sure that some will regard this incarnation as welcoming a new anti-Christ into the blawgosphere.
I will post at both locations for...

My new blog site will up and running tomorrow. I am electing to cease taking public comments. I've also decided to avoid the use of statistical tracking packages. Bottom line? Much though I enjoy writing and hope for readers, the online community is a little too quirky to suit me. I'm not willing...

Superior Court Judge John C. Blue called in sick today, causing another delay in the case of State v. Hayes, the triple murder that has captured the morbid fascination of the court-watching civilized world. Although details are sparse about the judge's condition, it's been reported he is the...

I had lunch the other day in Maine with activists seeking to reform the penal system. More and more Maine residents are finding themselves behind bars, and there are seemingly fewer resources each year to ease the burden of caring for inmates. If you divide the gross budget for the Maine penal...

I've been luckier than I deserve in my legal career to attract the mentorship of some great lawyers. John R. Williams on New Haven broke me in, teaching me all he knew about civil rights litigation and criminal defense. Gerry Spence shared generously of his insight into stories and the psyche. And...

I am not yet prepared to say I want to live in Missouri, but I sure might prefer practicing law there. That's because in Missouri, judges now are considering the cost of incarcerating a defendant. This morning's New York Times reports that judges now consult a statewide database to estimate the...

I had dinner tonight with a client and his daughter. The client faces great trouble. His daughter loves him with a heart bursting with pride. The pain of allegations without foundation weighs heavily on the client. Finding words to encourage him is hard. Tonight his daughter surprised us both by...