In popular culture, criminal proceedings are often depicted as having two parts: the issuance of a criminal charge and the jury trial. Little to nothing is made of the multitude of pre-trial proceedings in between. And while TV shows and movies love the quintessential trial scene, the reality is that the vast majority of cases are usually won or lost well before trial.

 

As a result, a robust pretrial motions practice is the backbone of an effective criminal defense practice. Developing a robust pre-trial motion practice requires developing a host of skills, including: strong knowledge of constitutional and statutory law, persuasive writing skills, and the ability to create a favorable evidentiary record.

 

None of these are easy skills to develop and all are skills that thoughtful practitioners continues to develop across their entire career. The Pretrial Motions Practice Group Coordinator position was created in 2022 to help WSPD attorneys and private counsel across Wisconsin develop, maintain, or enhance a robust pretrial motion practice.

 

Specifically, the Pretrial Motions Practice Group Coordinator consults with attorneys across the State on pretrial motion issues and strategies. The Coordinator helps to identify and create statewide strategies to litigate areas of pressing need. The Coordinator also conducts training sessions and gives presentations to help raise the level of pretrial motion practice and standardize best practices.

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Pretrial Motions Practice Coordinator