So how do you win a jury trial?
This may seem like a simplistic or a ridiculous answer but you win a jury trial when all the jurors vote not guilty.
I quote it that way because all over this website, I talk about all these legal defense strategies I know, and lots of “Here’s how you work the case…” and “Here’s what you do…”. And those things absolutely matter.
I’m not trying to minimize the importance of complicated legal strategy and breaking down the scientific evidence, but it really helps if the jury likes your client. It also helps if I am a believable advocate, and can tell a story of what happened that puts things in context and a favorable light for the jury.
I very often get phone calls at 7 in the morning the night after someone has been arrested for OUI. They have been understandably concerned about their charge, and have been studying this website, and will focus on one tiny fact that I may have noted here.
“I think the officer made this minor mistake…” and therefore the case is absolutely a winner. Or they seize onto one little thing and then think “My case must be hopeless”. The reality of this is that none of these things is true.
It is very difficult for someone without the right experience and knowledge to correctly apply or interpret this information as to what outcome will likely result.
It is important to work the case and it is important to go through all the steps and preparation. But a lot of what I do as an attorney give you a range of things that might happen, and that we might argue at trial, and give you a rough idea of how the case works.
At trial, I am interpreting and applying the facts that we have, and presenting them in the most favorable way to a jury.
Let me give you an example in my personal life which maybe you can relate to.
I occasionally have back problems and I had back surgery a few years ago. Probably like many people, when I had a symptom or pain, I would go on the internet and try to learn as much as I could. Maybe just like you are doing now about a drunk driving charge.
On the advice of my doctors, I did some physical therapy, then I took some steroid shots and finally I had some surgery and it actually worked out pretty well. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what happens with most people who have back problems.
What matters was my particular back issue and my specific condition and situation and the knowledge of how to apply that information to get to the solution.
Give me a call and I will walk you through your particular case, tell you what I think is going on how the facts in your case might play out in court.
Attorney Russell Matson
Massachusetts Drunk Driving Defense Lawyer
(781)380-7730 – 24 hours a day
