The Human Component

Abstract

This contribution is written from the perspective of a trial attorney with more than 20 years of experience representing clients in the California criminal justice system. Proper representation of the accused often requires a multidisciplinary approach in which legal care, medical care and mental health care work in conjunction with one another. Often, a client is laboring through layers of physical pain, fear, grief, and a possible myriad of mental health issues when his or her liberty is dependent on the ability to provide an accurate picture of their lives. In order to assist the client in providing the most comprehensive description of himself or herself, the defense team requires an empathic approach; one that is respectful of boundaries; and one willing to explore the context of the information uncovered during the course of investigation and representation.This contribution will detail the case of Marissa B , and how her investigation and advocacy wed her data to the context and circumstances surrounding her case to reveal information behind the human being in need of representation.