Jan E. Pritchett

I certainly am not happy that my services generated a complaint. However, I spent hours (as did another attorney in the office who has been practicing for 24 years) explaining to the client that the district attorney and not the defense attorney controls when jury trials are called. It certainly is better for me to move cases faster and not have cases linger in my office for two years. It is true that when the client decided he would come to my office everyday until his case was tried (even though it had been explained to him over and over that the district attorney determines which cases are tried), that I had to limit the excessive conversations about the same matter over which I had no control. He unfortunately was not the first nor the last to experience a trial delay. Furthermore, his case was with another attorney for over a year when he came to my office. The evidence in this particular case caused the client to be charged with felony child abuse. This was mainly because of the injuries that were attested to by his son, a forensic child psychologist and photographed by the police. Despite this, through my advocacy, I was able to persuade the prosecutor to try the case as two misdemeanor offenses. This indeed kept the client from being put in jeopardy of having a felony on his record for the rest of his life. After 26 years of practice and having been called upon by elected officials and court personnel who are familiar with my work (including the successful representation of the son of one of the best criminal defense attorneys in town a few months ago), I will continue to do the best that I can for all of my clients. Unfortunately in this case, it was the testimony of the client's son (who continued to be in therapy from the events that gave rise to the case), the pictures and his ex-wife, that led to his misdemeanor conviction. Upon reflection, I did all that I could in the case and received several compliments from court personnel. One even stated, " I thought you might pull another rabbit out of your hat!!!"