Sanctuary in the Jungle
Amidst a plethora of legal podcasts discussing case breakdowns, legal news, and true crime, Sanctuary in the Jungle offers a look into the lives and motivations of the lawyers themselves.
Sanctuary in the Jungle is a criminal defense podcast discussing the vital role criminal defense attorneys play in the justice system. Drawing on insights from renowned attorneys Edward Bennett Williams and Michael Tigar, the podcast likens criminal courts to a "sanctuary" for rational decision making as opposed to the everyday "jungle-like" environment. Outside of the courts, decisions are often driven by emotion and intuition, which can lead to arbitrary and unjust outcomes. Criminal courts, in contrast, were designed to function as a carefully structured system where decisions are made based on evidence and legal standards. The sanctuary mindset must be used if we are to ensure that everyone, regardless of their personal background or situation, receives a fair trial. Through engaging conversations with defense attorneys and advocates, Sanctuary in the Jungle highlights the importance of upholding justice, dignity, and humanity in legal proceedings while illustrating how attorneys endure the emotionally weighty process.
Sanctuary in the Jungle
How to Find Your Client's Story | Michele Lavigne
Sanctuary in the Jungle launches its first episode exactly where so many Wisconsin attorneys’ passion for criminal defense begins - with emeritus law professor Michele Lavigne. Join us as Michele and Aaron discuss why they’re so passionate about defense and how communication helps them best tell their clients’ stories.
At the University of Wisconsin Law School, Professor Lavigne led the UW Public Defender Program after serving as a public defender herself for many years. There, she researched the impact of deafness, language acquisition, and language impairments on individuals in the criminal justice system. In today’s episode, Michele shares this insight to show why effective communication is so important for attorney-client relationships, interactions with judges, and building a sanctuary.
Mentioned Readings:
Michele LaVigne & Sally Miles, “Under the Hood: Brendan Dassey, Language Impairments and Judicial Ignorance,” 82 Albany Law Review https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3379727
Michele LaVigne & Gregory Van Rybroek, “ ‘He Got In My Face So I Shot Him’: How Defendants’ Language Impairments Impair Attorney-Client Relationships” 17 CUNY Law Review 69 (2013) http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2314546
Marlantes, Karl. Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Atlantic Monthly Press, 2010.
Lewis, Anthony. Gideon’s Trumpet / by Anthony Lewis. Random House, 1964.