Welcome!

By Stephanie Stout of Stout Law Firm, LLC posted in Criminal Law on Tuesday, July 14, 2015.

Welcome to the first day of the new Stout Law blog. Robert and I are hoping to use this space to share our opinions and insights on criminal and family law as well as thoughts about life in Northern Colorado. If there are topics you'd like to see, or if you'd like to suggest a guest blogger for us, please let us know.

Just this last weekend, someone close to me was the victim of a crime and it got me to thinking about the legal world in which I live and practice. It reinforced my belief that I am in the right place for me. Having spent my entire career on the defense side of the aisle, this event has not caused me to question even for a moment my commitment to defending those accused of crimes. This case puts me clearly on the other side of that equation, but my resolve remains.

While I will do everything I can to ensure that the girl involved in the events of the last week is taken care of and protected, it is also my hope that the man involved in the assault on one of my own is treated with respect and dignity as he moves through the court system. I hope this because the prosecution, law enforcement, and the courts have a duty to make sure his rights are protected and his dignity maintained. As the people I care about begin the process of healing from what was done, they are not yet able to do that. They are seeking punishment, and perhaps revenge. That is theirs to work through. The state, however, should be making sure that while the case is properly handled, the individual prosecutors and law enforcement personnel do not make this personal. They are not the attorneys representing the girl who was victimized. They are the attorneys representing the interests of the state. She is not their client. If they look at her as the client, they are not doing the job that is expected of a good prosecutor. She and her family are not in the best position to guide the direction of this case. They are too close.

It has been an interesting perspective. Not necessarily one that I am glad to have been given, but one I hope will benefit my practice.

I hope you enjoy the posts to come as Robert and I share a little of ourselves, our perspectives, and our day-to-day practice with you.

Stephanie