Blog 20: Exit Interview

1. My essential question is, What is the best way a defense attorney can defend her client in court? My best answer is, The best way a defense attorney can defend her client in court is to negotiate a plea bargain. This is my best answer because according to, Plea and Charge Bargaining Research Summary by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, it is used 90% of the time. I have witnessed it in my mentorship being used many times. Also, there is less risked involved compared to trying to win a court case. In addition, usually the defendants are arrested for good reason, so there would be little reason to dismiss the case in the misdemeanor courts.
2. I arrived at this answer fairly slowly. At first, I tried to research on what others thought the answer could be, but it was proven fruitless. It wasn't until I talked with my mentor on possible answers to my essential question that I realized this was my best answer. When he brought up plea bargains, it just made me realize how often it was used in court.
3. Some problems I have faced was finding enough information on my topic or my answers. There aren't a lot of articles that have to do with the judicial system that isn't already common knowledge. No one really says, 'Just the other day, I went to court and had a great public defender!' They would be to ashamed. I overcame this by narrowing down my search, and reading some memoirs of defense attorneys.
4. One of my significant sources would be my mentor, Ramiro Cisneros. Working under him gave me a lot of opportunities to ask questions and get first hand experiences. This goes without question that my next best few sources are my interviews with other defense attorneys. One of the articles that has best helped me so far is "Criminal Defense Strategies," from criminal.findlaw.com because it gives the reader a lot of advise that pertains to all of my answers.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

LITERAL:

• I, Nisa Legaspino, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work. 
• My mentor, Ramiro Cisneros, helped me complete my independent component.
• Click >here<, or the link to the right.
• Similar to what I have done in the last component, I helped out around the office as much as I could. I made copies, filed, shredded paperwork, and become a delivery girl. I also was able to look at old cases and work one on one with my mentor to see if how I would handle a case is in line with what the lawyer really did. I also helped out with small tasks of researching information for cases or going over documents and taking notes for the attorneys.

INTERPRETIVE:

This is me trying to file, with no room in any office...

Not even half the boxes that I need to make copies for and file away.

My best friend, the copying machine, reminding me to always be organized since lawyers need a lot of copies of paperwork.

Cover of Penal Code, 2013 edition.

APPLIED:

• This component has helped me answer my EQ in finding my third answer, to "win" a case. However, it is hard to prove your client not guilty if you yourself are not prepared or are not organized. The experience of going through the Penal Codes also showed me how serious it is to know what you are going to say and know how to appeal to the judge or jury. For example, when I was going over a suspect's phone records, it was my job as the :"attorney" to know how to interpret that information and to determine whether the information can help or hinder me. 

DONE!!

I am so excited that done with my mentorship hours! I know that it would benefit me to continue, but it has gotten to the point that there isn't much for me to do anymore around the office. It wasn't as "exciting" to follow my mentor to the courtrooms seeing that lately he doesn't have many cases by the time I come in. Recently, his boss is on leave and put Mr. Cisneros in charge. Thusly, he spends his time in meetings while I shred or copy papers.

Thank you, Mr. Cisneros for giving me this opportunity, but I'm just happy I'm done with the required amount of hours.