Overheard at the Public Defenders' Office: You Know You're Doing a Good Job When . . .

PUBLIC DEFENDER TO PROSECUTOR WHILE WAITING FOR A VERDICT:  "Hey, I know you sometimes don't like me, but I want you to know that you did a nice job on the trial."

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY:  "Sometimes don't like you?  I NEVER like you."

Overheard at the Public Defender's Office, No. 3

SUPERVISING ATTORNEY:  I was just over at court, and I had something happen--something that hasn't happened in my 28 years of practice ...

PUBLIC DEFENDER:  You won a case?

Overheard at the Public Defenders' Office No. 2

HEAVILY-INKED, SKINHEAD CLIENT: The prosecutor's tryin' to break me, but you've got to tell him that I'm not a criminal.

PUBLIC DEFENDER: But you have the word
C-R-I-M-I-N-A-L tattooed on your forehead ...

CLIENT: That one was a big mistake.

Overheard at the Public Defenders' Office

IRRITATED CLIENT: All you do is keep talking about my criminal history, throwing it in my face ...

PUBLIC DEFENDER: But this is your third strike ...