Hiring Expert Witnesses for Your Case – What You Should Know

October 11, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

Expert witnesses are an important part of trial advocacy.

What is an Expert Witness?

A person with specialized knowledge of a particular is allowed to testify provided they comport with other rules surrounding reliability in both Texas and Federal Courts.

Judges have a detailed legal framework they must follow to determine if a particular expert may testify in a particular case.

Experts can testify in applied scientists such as DNA or blood analysis, areas such as computer forensics, cell phone tower triangulation, and in soft sciences such as therapy or domestic violence, and even in areas such as accounting, plumbing, or as in the movie “My Cousin Vinny,” — independent rear suspension cars made in the 1960’s.

Do I Really Need an Expert Witness?

Follow your lawyer’s recommendations here.

The defense can establish their own trial theory either through their own witnesses and experts or through the prosecution’s witnesses and experts.  Prosecution witnesses and experts are predictably uncooperative with us and some of their experts will easily admit to shortcomings in the state’s case and others won’t.  There is no substitute for the clarity and power a good expert witness can provide on your side.

There are risks to proffering an expert witness in your defense.  A good expert witness should be loyal to their discipline – not necessarily to you winning your case.  This helps them be credible.  But this also means your expert may have to admit to facts which can hurt your case when the prosecutor asks… and sometimes those could be facts and analysis the prosecutor was never aware of in the first place.

Ultimately the complexity of certain issues often dictates.  Trial is teaching the jury a theory.  That can be hard with a state’s expert who sees it as their job to make sure you lose.  A good expert witness on your own side is often necessary.

Why is an Expert Witness Paid?

I don’t work for free and neither do you.  I haven’t met anyone who does.

The fact a defense expert witness is paid and how much are typically good fodder for prosecutors on cross examination.  If you think about the fact they’re paid – it’s actually a good thing.  That is because testifying is their livelihood and for that reason they wouldn’t jeopardize it by saying crazy or quack science when a court reporter allows everyone in the State to know how they testify.

The Court Can Pay For Your Expert

The Court can pay for someone’s expert witness in certain instances — even if the lawyer is retained privately.  The expert must be willing to accept the court’s payments which are typically lower than on the private market and the Court will underwrite and evaluate Defendant’s financial status.

Ask your lawyer about Court assistance for experts if money is tight.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is designated as a Texas Super Lawyer by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

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Posted by niftybrady

What is the Difference Between a Flat Fee and a Retainer When Hiring a Lawyer?

October 10, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

jeremy@texasdefenselawyer.com

(972) 369-0577

This is a common question.

Remember a lawyer is selling their time.  Both a flat fee and retainer are different ways the lawyer sells that time.  These are actually topics of much debate in the legal community and are a bit more complex than meets the eye.

Abraham Lincoln said the legal fee is important because “It lets the client know he’s got a lawyer and the lawyer know he’s got a client.”

Important Reasons Which Go Into a Fee Amount 

A lawyer’s time is not an unlimited resource and some lawyers are justified in charging more for their time than others based on complexity of the matter and that lawyer’s experience.

Also, when a lawyer accepts your case – the lawyer is also limiting themselves because the lawyer now can’t sell time to (1) a different paying client because there are only so many hours in a day or (2) other potential clients he or she cannot legally represent because they would be conflicted from representing by virtue of their representation of you.

Flat Fees

A flat fee sounds a bit more self-explanatory than a retainer but there are still restrictions and issues with lawyers charging flat fees.

The advantage of the flat fee is it is clear-cut and caps the client’s potential financial output.  The disadvantage is the client could over-pay if the case is more resolved more quickly than anticipated.

Flat fees must still be justifiable at the end of the day.  Common sense still applies.  Where a client pays a lawyer gobs of money on day one and the client terminates representation on day two – the lawyer simply cannot justify keeping anything other than the amount he’s actually earned, if any.

Retainers

A retainer is money paid to the lawyer which the lawyer sets aside in a trust account.  The money legally remains the client’s property unless or until the lawyer earns it.  Once they earn it, they can then draw it from the account.

If the lawyer does not earn all of the money you deposited in trust then the client is entitled to a refund of the unused retainer.

The upside of a retainer is obvious.  The downside of a retainer is once the retainer has been expended, it typically needs to be refilled.

I compare a retainer to a tank of gas.  Sometimes it takes a half a tank to get to the destination but sometimes it could take 3 tanks.

Is A Flat Fee Better or is a Retainer Better?

It depends on the case in my mind.  You don’t want your lawyer to be paid too much and believe it or not — you really don’t want them to be paid to little either.

In a criminal defense practice there are many cases we handle very routinely where our time is predictable and as the lawyer, we’re willing to take the risk on a flat fee because we know from experience the amount of time we’ll be spending on a certain case falls in within an acceptable range.  Those tend to be misdemeanors like DWI, domestic assault, or theft cases to name a few.

Retainers are a flexible way to handle cases where our time output will be a bit more difficult to predict.  Those would typically be cases like sexual assault, felony drug possession, or white collar charges such as embezzlement or money laundering.  A retainer also assists when we need to pay other client expenses such as investigators or expert witnesses which we’ll need to involve from time to time depending on the case.

The retainer, then, is a good way of making sure the fee is just right on more complex cases where a flat fee may just be far too high or far too low.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is Designated as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

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Posted by niftybrady

When Police File a Case “At Large”

April 28, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

I’m writing this blog in the middle of the COVID-19 shutdown.  We’re seeing lots of cases handled “at large” these days.

What “At Large” Means in a Criminal Case

The Court has to have some way to make sure people come and face charges, win, lose or draw.  If criminal cases were voluntary, no one would come to court.  That way of securing attendance is the threat of jail.

An arrest is normally the very first legal action taken against a person.  A bond is set and if the bond is paid the person is released.  Formal charges come some time later – but prior to the running of the statute of limitations (2 years on a misdemeanor, 3 years on most felonies).

When a case is filed “at large” the arrest is skipped temporarily.  Once the formal charges are filed either in a misdemeanor or a felony an arrest warrant is triggered.

Why We’re Seeing So Many “At Large” Cases

Police and the Sheriff’s office want to keep the jail as unpopulated as possible during the COVID crisis.  It is law enforcement’s way of deferring an arrest and a jailing until later.

What Happens Next?

If someone has been told a case would be filed “at large,” then there is a good chance the police have or will forward a police report to the District Attorney’s Office.  The District Attorney’s office will review the report — and assuming they view the report as complete — they will typically file formal charges.  In a misdemeanor case it is called an “information” and in a felony the Grand Jury Meets and if they agree — the file what is called an indictment.  Both will trigger the arrest warrant.

If There is an Arrest Warrant Coming, What Do I Do?

It is always the better practice to be in control of the process by monitoring the active warrant filings and ultimately surrender yourself.  Prepare to post bond.  It’s also time to talk with a lawyer about your long term legal defense and how to best address the charges.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He was recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Texas Super Lawyer in 2019.

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How Long will my Court Case Last?

January 29, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

It depends on what type of case, where the case occurred and the court to which it is assigned.  Some cases have a tendency to be fast and others are typically slower.  The biggest single factor is typically evidence which must be analyzed such as lab evidence or computer forensics.  Cases without those components have less impediments.

This said, other complex cases obviously drag on a bit too.

Slower Cases:

  • DWI with blood draws
  • Drug Cases other than Marijuana
  • Computer Charges
    • Online Harassment
    • Hacking
    • Possession of Child Pornography
  • Sex Charges
    • Sexual Assault
    • Sexual Assault of a Child
    • Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
  • White Collar Theft
    • Embezzlement
    • Money Laundering
  • Engaging in Organized Criminal Activities
  • Crimes against persons which  have complex medical records/ issues

 

Quicker Cases:

  • Assault
    • Assault/ Family Violence
    • Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
  • Retail Theft
  • Possession of Marijuana
  • DWI without blood testing
  • Criminal Mischief
  • Crimes against persons (without medical records)

 

Just how Quick (or Slow) will a Particular Case Be?

You can expect most Collin County Misdemeanors to last between 6 and 12 months from the date of arrest until a trial/ dismissal/ or plea bargain.  Felonies tend to be more complicated so those usually take longer.

Most of our courts have efficient dockets – meaning the cases move relatively quickly.  Some courts might have a glut of cases for various reasons and by luck-of-the-draw your case may take more time.

Other jurisdictions such as Dallas County simply have more real-world issues to contend with such as insufficient funding, high turn-over with court staff, or inexperienced prosecutors which can compound delays.  It should be no surprise that in general the bigger the county, the slower the case may be.

What Control do We Have in How Fast or Slow a Case Takes?

Some.  We can’t control how long an investigation, grand jury, or prosecutor takes to do their job… but we can control whether or not any delays are because of us.  Some clients want a case to move quickly and others prefer the case take a while for their own reasons.  We can do our best to affect either.

What About My Right to a Speedy Trial?

Analysis for speedy trial is multifaceted and analyzes more than merely calendar time.  Part of the analysis is about the reaons for any delay, whose fault delay may be (the prosecutor, the defense, or in many instances — the Judge).  Another component of the analysis is what degree of harm was suffered by Defense by the delay?  Stress and anxiety are parts — but the loss of evidence (such as a witness moving) could play a role too in speedy trial analysis.

“Tough-on-Crime” Courts have done much in Texas to gnaw away much of Speedy trial rights and privileges… so normally trying to have a case dismissed for lack of speedy trial isn’t typically my first preference.

Bottom Line

You won’t get a really sharp estimate for how long your specific case will take on the internet.  Sorry!  You’ll just have to run that question by a lawyer who is familiar enough with all the players and factors involved.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is an attorney licensed to practice in Texas.  He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He was Designated as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in 2019.

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Posted by niftybrady

Bringing Medication With You on Vacation

December 9, 2019

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

www.texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

Screen Shot 2020-05-27 at 8.39.38 AM

Disclaimer – I’m writing this blog as a public service, not because we handle or help coordinate this type of situation.  We would only get involved if you actually got arrested – and did so in Texas.  We’ve just gotten enough calls about this topic for me to throw up a blog about it.  Also, I’m licensed in Texas so I can tell you laws here but not elsewhere.

That said – possessing drugs without a perscription is typically a criminal offense.  Texas has an affirmative defense that if you have a prescription for the medication then it isn’t an offense.  So it would always seem safest to travel with the prescription bottle or container right there on the label.  I can’t imagine that isn’t the law everywhere in the U.S.

Don’t mix medications within one container, consolidate medications in one container, or take your medications in an unlabled baggie or container.  Those would all be recipes for getting hassled.  Bring only the amount you need or anticipate needing while budgeting for an emergency.

Here is a good article from the NY Times about traveling with medication.  Good luck and enjoy your safe travels!  If you have any additional questions then you should contact an attorney directly.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Licensed in Texas and is Board Certified in Criminal Law.

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