Interview with Judge Don Armstrong

Episode 7:  In this episode, criminal defense attorney Tim Denison and retired Judge Don Armstrong discuss what is appropriate in a court room.

It is always important to know which judge will be handling your case.  All judges are different and have different expectations or “rules”.  It also allows you to decide how you may play your defense. It’s important to know the prosecutor and what division it is because then he will know if it’s civil or criminal or both. Your attorney should also look at how the judge ruled in past cases. Some lawyers may not like each other and it can sometimes come out in the court room because people’s future depends on these cases.

As a criminal defense attorney, Tim knows what he needs to do. He is tough and strong, but that’s who you should want to be on your side. He redefines the norm and pushes boundaries to win the case in hand.

If a civil case comes in, it’s much easier to know what the judge may do, especially in circuit court. In Judge Armstrong’s case, they were on a rotation which would assign them to a division. This meant they really had to know each division really well. To get a certain judge it could assigned either randomly or based on last names.

Most judges will know the lawyers in the courtroom, whether it be personally or if they just happen to practice in front of the judge fairly often. The nice thing about having a judge who has practiced law for a long time before is that he/she understands the stress and preparation that goes into a case.

When in a court setting, as a client it is important to note that your lawyer will ask the appropriate questions. It’s important to not distract your attorney because he needs to listen, so make sure to write the question on a piece of paper if necessary. Most questions that you may want to ask will not be a proper question.  It is probably a triple hearsay question. The judge also can tell when the attorney switches from his line of questioning to the client’s.

The judge and jury can see everything. They see how you react if something is brought up and how your body language changes. So, as a client it is really important to know that the judge and court notices your behavior, mannerisms, or if you have an attitude. If the client acts up in court, they are not helping themselves.

It is also important to dress for court because if you don’t dress seriously sometimes the court won’t take you seriously. Each judge is different, but it is important to look as professional as possible.

Tim’s office phone number is [phone].  You can learn more via TimDenisonLaw.com.  Tim’s principal office is located at:  235 South 5th St., Third Floor, Louisville, KY 40202.  The information from this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.  Co-host Jim Ray is a non-attorney spokesperson.  This is an attorney advertisement.