The Vanishing Fourth Amendment

Walk into criminal court some time to listen to closing arguments. Odds are you will hear the prosecution talk about holding the defendant accountable for his crimes. But who holds the government accountable when it errs?
Judges are extremely reluctant to do so.
Consider this week’s 5-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Utah v. Strieff. At issue was what consequences should follow when the government violates the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures in seizing evidence.
The facts of the case are simple enough.
A...
June 23, 2016

Facebook's Contempt for the Law

Experienced litigators learn the hard way that some institutions regard themselves as too big to comply with the humdrum requirements of the law. I've seen large institutions simply ignore a subpoena, not even bothering to show up as directed. Yale University is notorious for doing this; so are some of the state's larger hospitals.
Judges are reluctant for reasons I do not understand to issue capias warrants requiring these institutions to appear in court. Only little people get arrested, taken into custody, and hauled into court for ignoring a subpoena.
Add Facebook to the list...
June 18, 2016

In Praise of Judge Aaron Persky

I’m not hopping on the bandwagon circling the Santa Clara County, California, courthouse. Don’t add my name to the million-plus names of those calling for the scalp of Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky. Far from a goat, Judge Persky is a hero.
Would that there were more judges like him.
Judge Persky presided over the sexual assault trial of a Stanford college student, Brock Turner, accused, and then convicted by a jury, of raping a fellow student. Mr. Turner and his victim attended a frat party. The victim was intoxicated, passed out; the defendant, too was...
June 16, 2016

Harambe and the Law

What should the law require in the wake of the shooting of Harambe, the 17-year-old gorilla shot to death by zoo officials last weekend at the Cincinnati Zoo?
Some basic facts don’t seem to be in dispute.
On Saturday, a 3-year-old boy on a visit to the zoo with his mother managed to get over a fence and into a moat where Harambe, a 450-pound silverback gorilla, was kept. Harambe took an interest in the boy, and, in videos suddenly gone viral, is seen to be engaged with the boy in a way that is intermittently endearing and alarming.
Zookeepers, concerned to prevent harm...
June 5, 2016

Governor Malloy Ought Not To Sign Fugitive's Warrant

May 17, 2016
Gov. Dannel Malloy will soon be given an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to the Second Chance Society to which he committed more than one...

Could It Be Trump in 2016? Yes

May 4, 2016
The Federal Reserve Board holds the key to why Donald Trump could easily become the next president of the United States, and it has nothing to do...

Another Reason to Be Wary of the State -- Your Kids

April 29, 2016
If your child suffers a serious unexplained injury, the state just might seek to terminate your parental rights. It will do so in a closed courtroom,...

Trump and Sanders? Yes

April 29, 2016
Donald Trump walked away from the so-called "Acela primaries" in the Northeast a complete winner, sweeping the Republican contests in Connecticut,...

Troubling Decision in Sandy Hook Gun Suit

April 22, 2016
On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza, a troubled young man, walked into an elementary school and killed or seriously wounded more than two-dozen people,...

Sticky-Fingered Cops

April 15, 2016
State and federal law enforcement agencies make millions of dollars each year manipulating asset forfeiture laws. Generally, these laws...

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Taking Back the Courts
Norm Pattis Taking Back the Courts

The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorites movies as a kid. Little did I know judges were so much like the wizard, hiding behind empty trappings of power. This book tells you things you need to know about what really goes on in court. Read it, weep, and then demand that the courts do better.

In the Trenches
Norm Pattis In the Trenches

Plenty of lawyers write about the law, but few who write try cases. Judge for yourself whether I talk the talk and walk the walk in this collection of occasional essays about life in the law's trenches.

Juries and Justice
Norm Pattis Juries and Justice

How prepared are you to take seriously the notion that 'we the people' are, in fact, sovereign? Discover the secret, and unused, power of jurors. 'Ask why; then nullify.'

Norm Pattis

About Norm

Norm Pattis is a Connecticut based trial lawyer focused on high stakes criminal cases and civil right violations. He is a veteran of more than 150 jury trials, many resulting in acquittals for people charged with serious crimes, multi-million dollar civil rights and discrimination verdicts, and scores of cases favorably settled.

© Norm Pattis is represented by Elite Lawyer Management, managing agents for Exceptional American Lawyers
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