Some of the trials lasted no more than five minutes. None of the Santee Dakota Indians – most who had no command of the English language – had interpreters, counsel, or the ability to call witnesses in their defense.

We are in the era of electronic discovery and ever-increasing information dumps. Defense lawyers are being provided with responses to discovery requests that contain terabytes of information. How do we advise a client concerning the strength or weakness of the government’s case if we must first examine and organize a terabyte of information?

Criminal defense lawyers stand as a bulwark against the forces that would seek to erase the rights and humanity of people accused of committing a crime. Standing as a fortress takes incredible courage, but the fearlessness of defense advocates is nothing new. History is filled with examples of defenders who risked their careers, reputations, and personal safety to stand up for their clients.