Current Role & Responsibilities
I supervise our attorneys in Courts CCC1 through CCC6, where we defend and litigate misdemeanor offenses. I provide assistance in all courts that may be short-handed or where an attorney requests the assistance of a supervisor for a conference. I provide guidance & answers to policy questions as they arise, and refer issues to the Misdemeanor Supervisor as the issue rise to a level of seriousness requiring their assistance. I also assist in compiling Bond Review Hearing Stats
Education & Background
I graduated from the State University of New York at Albany NY, in 1976, and from Ohio Northern University, Pettit School of Law, Ada, Ohio in 1983. From there I moved to Atlanta where I worked with the Georgia Legal Service Corporation (similar to LANWT) for 5 years in Augusta & Atlanta, GA. I was in private practice thereafter with various law firms, culminating with my own firm in McDonough, GA from 1995 to 2005. While in private practice, I represented clients in felony, misdemeanor & juvenile cases, family law, clients involved with child protective services, bankruptcy court, Social Security Disability court, personal injury and document preparation.
In 2003, the Georgia Public Defender Council was established because of a class action lawsuit. By 2005 I was in the GPD Office, first in Rome, GA and then back to my “hometown” of McDonough, GA. In 2014 we moved to Texas to be near the grandchildren. I spent two years with the Smith County DA’s office, which was not my first choice, and eventually led me to my first choice, the Dallas PD Office, in 2016.
Certifications & Areas of Expertise
State Bar of Texas, 2014. Expertise in the field of criminal law. General experience in civil law, although I have not practice in the civil law arena since joining the GPD in 2005.
Values & Motivation
I have always valued providing a service to make the world a better place. In the Jewish philosophy there is the term tikkum olam. A good Wikipedia definition of it is “It embodies the idea that humanity shares a divine responsibility to partner with the Creator to fix societal injustices, protect the vulnerable, and improve the physical world through acts of kindness, charity, and social activism.” That had seemed to be my guiding philosophy, often unknowingly, but upon self-reflection, I have come to see it as why I am here.
I hope to achieve leadership by my actions and interactions with the attorneys I supervise. I advocate for my client by first talking to the client about their case, getting their wants & needs from the case, and then negotiating with the State in that direction. If the client rejects the State’s offer or counteroffer, we may be headed to a trial. If so, I try to educate the client on the legal and factual issues of the case and the likelihood of success. As for clients with more societal needs, I will ty to make their life a little better by providing assistance with food, clothes, shelter, services, utilizing the Social Workers & Mental Health Division in our office.
