A criminal defense specialist named Judy Clarke may soon cement her reputation as the most high profile of public defenders. The New York Times recently profiled Clarke, whose client is Jared Loughner, the man charged in the Jan. 8 Arizona shooting rampage. Clarke has already begun making motions on his behalf, Loughner has pleaded not guilty.

Clarke’s efforts to develop a rapport with Loughner is noteworthy, as in federal death penalty cases, earning the trust, or even just the acceptance of the client is often a crucial matter, even more so in cases of potential mental illness. 

According to Michael First, it will be interesting to see which way Jared Loughner wants to go. Will he acknowledge that his is mentally ill, or will he insist that he is perfectly sane?

Clarke is known for initially trying to get her clients moved into better accomodations early and for relaying messages to defendant’s families. She is already doing the same for Jared Loughner.

It’s often said that in a death penalty case, the best reasonable objective for the defense is to spare the client from the death penalty. To that extent, Clarke works to persuade jurors to not to vote for the death penalty because of a “mitigating social history.” She details the mental illness, or abuse that the defendant experienced throughout his or her life.

The Times piece focuses on the two sides of Clarke, sides that any lawyer who wants to be great should possess.

“I like the antagonism. I like the adversarial nature of the business. I love all of that,” Clarke once told the Los Angeles Times. But she also has a softer side.

Related Resources:

  • Whitepapers: Tips on Selecting Legal Document Management Software (FindLaw’s Technologist Blog)
  • In-House Counsel: The Importance of Records Management (FindLaw’s In House Blog)
  • Top 10 eDiscovery Best Practices for Handling Metadata (FindLaw’s Technologist Blog)

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