“I used to think that criminal activity was truly indicative of someone’s character. That somehow, the moments in which a person chose to harm someone else or break the law were an accurate reflection of that person’sentire character, even invalidating or undermining all the other moments of that person’s life in which they were responsible, honest, moral and compassionate. Now I know that the truth is, of course, not nearly so simple, that we are all very complex people capable of making both … read more An Intern’s Reflection “I Used to Think…Now I Know”
A year from now or twenty years from now, I may not remember case details or clerk’s names but I will remember the moments of humanity, humility, and humor that I experienced this summer. At GJP, I witnessed lawyering at its best. Sitting in on client meetings, jail visits, and court interactions, I watched Anna and Suzanne fighting hard for their clients. My single most favorite experience was the second time I went to jail with Anna to do a … read more An Intern’s Reflection “One Year From Today, When I Think of GJP, I’ll Most Remember
Many folks don’t realize that all it takes is one person. One person can claim you stole something or did something wrong. One person was all it took to turn Max’s world upside down for two years. Max was arrested and charged with theft by conversion. Helen, the wife of a former colleague, claimed Max sold a car that belonged to her husband. Helen never had any proof the car belonged to her or her recently deceased husband. All she … read more Max’s Story