Few criminal cases have had a more profound impact than the 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335. Clarence Earl Gideon, charged with a felony crime and unable to afford counsel, was forced to represent himself in the Bay County, Florida Circuit Court, after his request for an attorney was denied. Eventually, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees indigent defendants the right to appointed counsel in state felony prosecutions. The zealous protection of the Constitution is the highest goal of all criminal law practitioners.
Growing up in a double-wide manufactured home as the son of an auto mechanic and a hair stylist, I knew I wanted a different life from the toil and struggle my family faced. It was not until my junior year of high school that I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. I was blessed to have a scholarship to attend a Catholic high school in Brevard County, Florida. After school Mass, I received a note calling me to the Dean’s office, where I was told I had a detention for speaking during Mass. When I protested, the Dean told me to take it up with the Priest. As I pleaded my case to Father Matt, he planted a seed that I might consider becoming a lawyer. By the way, I was successful in having the detention overturned.
I went to college to go to law school and went to law school to become a prosecutor. As I grew up, I watched others take advantage of systems and not have to earn what they received. To me, without rules and the order of law, a society cannot sustain. For over 14 years, I loved wearing the white hat of the prosecutor and fighting for justice. One thing I came to learn was that the concept of justice depended upon the seat you occupied in the courtroom. Now, as a criminal defense attorney, I see firsthand what can occur when the criminal justice system breaks down.
One thing that I treasure the most about the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar is that our composition of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and law professors sees justice through a slightly different lens, but we come together for the betterment of the criminal justice system and the wider practice of law. For decades, the Criminal Law Section has stood tall as a resource and advocate for criminal law practitioners. In furtherance of this advocacy and education, this year the Criminal Law Section will provide valuable benefits to its members, including:
- CLE programming – The Section provides timely, important, and expert CLE programs, many of which are complimentary to members on matters relevant to our criminal justice system and its practitioners. Our in-person programs include, among others, the Criminal Law Update (held during the Bar’s annual meeting in June), Masters of DUI (held yearly in March), seminars on basic and advanced federal practice, and Misdemeanor Madness (held in April). For added convenience, we also offer hybrid and remote programming, like our Legislative Update, Scholars Corner, and Experts on Advocacy Series. In addition, Criminal Law Section members can log in to the section website to watch previously recorded CLE and short, information videos that help familiarize newer practitioners with various aspects of Criminal Law practice.
- Case law updates – The Section keeps members informed about recent decisions in State and Federal Courts that affect the practice of criminal law.
- Prosecutor/Public Defender (P/PD) trials skills training course – Offered annually in conjunction with the University of Florida School of Law, this week-long skills course features criminal case studies, mock trial exercises, critiques by a team of prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges, as well as individual review of videotaped presentations.
- Monthly email newsletter – The Section keeps you up to date on Bar news, CLE, announcements, and the great work of our Section members.
- Opportunities to interact with others who work to assure criminal justice – Whether meeting with legislators in Tallahassee regarding the rulemaking and legislative process affecting criminal law, or networking with other criminal justice practitioners at our educational or social programs, our Section serves as a network for both young and experienced criminal practitioners from throughout the state of Florida.
The Criminal Law Section comprises over a dozen separate committees that focus on topics such as legislation, membership, communications, and continuing education. A complete listing of our committees is found at floridabarcls.org/section-committees/. If you are interested in serving on a Criminal Law Section committee, contact our Program Administrator, Robin Lofton, at rlofton@floridabar.org.
Finally, the Criminal Law Section is committed to serving as a sounding board for all criminal attorneys. If there is anything I can personally do to be of service, you can contact me directly at ryan@nejamelaw.com. I look forward to working with you as an active member of the Criminal Law section as we further the mission of seeking equal justice for all.
Regards,
Ryan
Ryan J. Vescio, Esq.
Chair
Criminal Law Section