Sh** People Say to PD's

My Facebook feed has recently been flooded with a lot of videos about a lot of sh** that a lot of people say. So, I'm calling this a blog-ette... and it's called "Sh** People Say to Public Defenders". The first series is about things that people say at cocktail/parties/bars and, generally, upon first meeting you, in a way that, frankly, is super inappropriate. The second is about things clients say to us. Even after four years of this occupation, I have more sympathy for the latter. Nonetheless, theres nothing like going to school for 19 years and wading through a mortgage's-worth of student debt, topped off with a test you have to spend a full two months studying for- only to be asked these things every other day. :-)

"Do you ever represent like, guilty people?"

"Do you have to like, go IN the jail?"

"Are there any clients you wont represent because of their crimes?"

"How do you sleep at night?"

"Do people ever tell you that they're guilty?"

"I could never do what you do."

"So you're just doing this for experience, right? So you can get a real job later?"

"Could you not get a job at a law firm?"


"I want a bar/paid/real attorney."

"Do you want to go to law school someday?"

"You're good at this. You should be a real lawyer."

"Have you ever had a trial before?"

"What is your win percentage?"

"I know you have too many cases, but I need you to do something for me."

"I know you work for the State."

"You aren't fighting for me."


I invite you to add more.