Jacket: The Trials of a New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney - Softcover

John Hartmann

4.03

37 ratings by Goodreads

9780937548752: Jacket: The Trials of a New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0937548758 ISBN 13: 9780937548752

Publisher: Plexus Publishing, Inc. [USA], 2012

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This engaging, irreverent, and most unusual memoir by Trenton attorney John Hartmann puts a human face on dysfunctional Jersey justice. Hartmann s self-deprecating wit and keen eye for all things absurd and ironic reveal him as an equal-opportunity ridiculer from overbearing lawyers and judges to cocky cops, clueless clients, pretentious politicians, and a raft of hapless dealers, deadbeats, prisoners, and prostitutes. Central to Jacket is the story of Hartmann s client Nate Smith wrongly identified in a robbery and locked up for a crime he probably didn t commit.

As Hartmann recalls Nate s case, he dishes out amusing anecdotes, shares Garden State trivia, admits to various personal quirks and shortcomings, and offers a treasure trove of advice on how to start a legal practice, prepare clients for trial, cross-examine witnesses, pick juries, and make prison hooch. Jacket is a must-read for aspiring lawyers, lawbreakers, and Law and Order fans. (And, of course, for all you practicing New Jersey criminal defense attorneys out there.)

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About the Author:

Hartmann received his BA from Georgetown University and his J.D. from Seton Hall University. In 1991 he was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly where he served for two years. He is a member of the New Jersey State Archives Commission, and manages his law practice in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

Review:

"[Hartmann's] reflections are entertainingly scattershot, nimbly jumping from one impossibly absurd scenario to another, capturing the surreal wheels of justice in motion. ... A keen, lighthearted look at the human side of law." --Kirkus

"A candid, colorful, and penetrating expos� of the gritty realities in our criminal justice system. As a criminal defense lawyer raised in New Jersey, I strongly recommend it." --Thomas Mesereau, the lawyer who acquitted Michael Jackson

"As a guide through the thickets of criminal defense lawyering in the urban pockets of New Jersey, Jacket is tailored just right. Author-attorney Hartmann has provided a colorful primer for neophyte lawyers, and inside entertainment for old hands. Non-practitioners, too, will have fun comparing notes with Law & Order. ----Jim Waltzer, author Brother's Keeper

"This book will change your life- especially if you're charged with knocking over a liquor store in the Garden State. Hartmann hits the perfect combination of trial strategy and personal anecdotes that makes for a great read." --Raymond Raya, attorney for Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi

"John Hartmann paints a vivid picture of the 'New Jersey Way' of prosecuting and defending persons accused of crimes. ... Jacket is a raucous ride through the New Jersey criminal court system." --Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University

"This book will change your life- especially if you re charged with knocking over a liquor store in the Garden State. Hartmann hits the perfect combination of trial strategy and personal anecdotes that makes for a great read." --Raymond Raya, attorney for Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi

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