Sexpohrenia Strikes Danbury Courthouse

If you are going to stand up in the well of the court and demand accountability on behalf of the people of the State of Connecticut from some poor schmuck charged with a crime, you ought at least to be accountable yourself. But in the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office, accountability is a twisted joke.

It appears there are special rules for prosecutors. They get a pass when their actions cross certain lines. Consider the case of the man who loved feet, women’s feet to be exact. What’s a little fetishism among friends?

Oh, I know, I know. It might...
August 5, 2012

The Doctor's Bonds Are Too High

A client of mine is in the process of being tarred and feathered, and I don’t much like it. Dr. Tory Westbrook has been accused of multiple counts of sexual assault by his patients. His former employer is busy at work interviewing folks. New complainants are springing up like weeds on an unkempt summer lawn. As of yesterday, 14 warrants for his arrest had been signed, sealed and delivered. More warrants are expected.
Dr. Westbrook’s license has been suspended and he has stepped down from all his professional roles as we prepare to defend him against charges we vigorously...
July 31, 2012

Oh, Me; Oh, My -- Warped Justice In Danbury

Good grief. Was James Bond the inspiration behind the latest escapade in the Danbury State’s Attorney’s office? Or was it just lust gone awry in the form of a foot fetish? Whatever the cause, Connecticut’s premiere venue for the prosecution of sex crimes is now reeling in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct by one of its prosecutors. According to the Danbury New Times, Senior State Assistant State’s Attorney David Holzbach has been suspended. Why? He apparently came to work armed with a camera concealed in his pen. He used the camera to take photographs of...
July 30, 2012

Slumdog Olympics?

I tried to catch the Olympic spirit last night. I really did. Instead I got little bored and antsy. After watching the opening ceremony for little more than an hour, a good book beckoned. The incoherent extravaganza produced by Danny Boyle had the look and feel of a schizophrenic taking an oral exam on recent British cultural history: when all else fails, just start talking, you’re bound to say something right.
Suffice it to say, my great expectations were dashed to pieces.
It started promisingly enough. The stadium was made out to resemble a pastoral scene. Maidens played...
July 28, 2012

The JRC Enters The Twilight Zone

July 26, 2012
News that Superior Court Judge William Holden faces discipline by the Judicial Review Council caught me by surprise. What had the man done to...

Who Lost The Casey Anthony Trial?

July 25, 2012
Every lawyer has a case or two in the “What happened?” bag. Those are cases you were sure would win, but a jury did not share your...

James Holmes, The Joker and Everyman

July 21, 2012
It says a lot that as James Holmes opened fire on moviegoers in Aurora, Colorado, they did not know whether he was part of the film’s special...

Grand Jury Abuse In Connecticut?

July 18, 2012
Am I alone in wondering whether federal prosecutors in Connecticut are abusing the grand jury process? When I discuss the issue with fellow members...

Freeh's Report No Shocker

July 12, 2012
Louis Freeh’s report on Penn State and Jerry Sandusky reads like the not-too-original account of a honeymoon: He said all the right things, and...

Freeh's Report No Shocker

July 12, 2012
Louis Freeh’s report on Penn State and Jerry Sandusky reads like the not-too-original account of a honeymoon: He said all the right things,...

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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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