Judicial Forum

Live Online

Criminal Law From the Bench: What Trial Judges Want You to Know

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 6 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 6 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 6 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 6 Total
California CLE Approved 6 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 7 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 6 Total
Delaware CLE Pending 6 Total
Florida CLE Approved 7 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 6 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 6 Total
Iowa CLE Pending 6 Total
Idaho CLE Pending 6 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 6 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 6 Total
Kansas CLE Pending 7 Total
Kentucky CLE Pending 6 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 6 Total
Maine CLE Approved 6 Total
Minnesota CLE Pending 6 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 7.2 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 6 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 6 Total
Montana CLE Pending 6 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 6 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 6 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 6 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 6 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 6 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Ohio CLE Pending 6 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 7 Total
Oregon CLE Pending 6 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
Rhode Island CLE Approved 7 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 6 Total
Tennessee CLE Pending 6 Total
Texas CLE Approved 6 Total
Utah CLE Approved 6 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 6 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 6 Total
Washington CLE Approved 6 Total
Wisconsin CLE Pending 7 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 7.2 Total
Wyoming CLE Approved 6 Total
Live Online
6 hours
Michael Peterson
Anita Ashley
Steven Vinick
Jennifer Balido
James Carr
Jared Bennett
Michael Dean
Thomas Murphy
With Hon. Michael D. Peterson from Graham County Superior Court + 7 others

Mon, Nov 30, 00:00 AM – 00:00 PM

Product ID 102656

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Course Includes
$429

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OnDemand Recording

Course Book Download

OnDemand content will be available within 7 days of event date.

Overview

Hear What Judges Actually Think - Straight From the Bench, in Their Words Featuring Distinguished Judges from across the nation.

You prepare your motions, polish your arguments, and walk into court only to watch a ruling go against you for reasons no one spells out. This full-day forum closes that gap. Experienced state trial judges sit down with criminal attorneys to tell you plainly what helps and what hurts your case: from pretrial motions and plea deals to sentencing, evidence, and courtroom conduct. You will hear the thinking judges rarely share out loud, and walk away able to read the bench, anticipate how your arguments will land, and make the adjustments that set strong trial attorneys apart. Register today!

  • Learn what judges notice (and quietly hold against you) before you say a word.
  • Find out which pretrial motions and arguments actually move a trial judge.
  • Understand how judges size up plea deals and where they push back.
  • Discover the sentencing arguments that work and the ones that backfire.
  • Hear how judges decide common evidence questions, and why.
  • Get clear on what judges expect from you on ethics and professionalism.

Panelists: Hon. Anita Ashley, Hon. Jennifer Balido, Hon. Jared C. Bennett, Hon. James G. Carr, Hon. Thomas P. Murphy and Hon. Michael D. Peterson
Moderators: Michael D. Dean and Steven B. Vinick

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Inside the Trial Judge's Mind
  2. Pretrial Motions That Get Results
  3. Plea Deals and the Judge's Role
  4. Sentencing From the Bench
  5. Evidence and Trial Conduct in Criminal Cases
  6. Ethics and Professionalism Before the Court

Can't Attend Live?

Get the OnDemand Instead

Watch the recording of this event on your own schedule. We'll notify you when its ready.

Related Topics

Product ID 102656

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 6 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 6 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 6 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 6 Total
California CLE Approved 6 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 7 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 6 Total
Delaware CLE Pending 6 Total
Florida CLE Approved 7 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 6 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 6 Total
Iowa CLE Pending 6 Total
Idaho CLE Pending 6 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 6 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 6 Total
Kansas CLE Pending 7 Total
Kentucky CLE Pending 6 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 6 Total
Maine CLE Approved 6 Total
Minnesota CLE Pending 6 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 7.2 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 6 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 6 Total
Montana CLE Pending 6 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 6 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 6 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 6 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 6 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 6 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Ohio CLE Pending 6 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 7 Total
Oregon CLE Pending 6 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
Rhode Island CLE Approved 7 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 6 Total
Tennessee CLE Pending 6 Total
Texas CLE Approved 6 Total
Utah CLE Approved 6 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 6 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 6 Total
Washington CLE Approved 6 Total
Wisconsin CLE Pending 7 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 7.2 Total
Wyoming CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Inside the Trial Judge's Mind

    1. First Impressions: How Preparation and Demeanor Shape What a Judge Thinks of You
    2. Courtroom Habits That Help Your Case (and Ones That Quietly Hurt It)
    3. Respecting the Judge's Time, the Record, and the Clock

  2. Pretrial Motions That Get Results

    1. Motions to Suppress and Keep out Evidence: What Wins a Judge Over, What Wastes Their Time
    2. Bail and Pretrial Release: How It Looks From the Bench
    3. Written vs. Spoken Arguments: How Judges Actually Read and Weigh Your Motions

  3. Plea Deals and the Judge's Role

    1. How Judges Review a Plea Before They Accept It
    2. Cooperation Deals and Sentencing Recommendations: What Judges Look For
    3. Where and Why Judges Push Back on a Deal

  4. Sentencing From the Bench

    1. Arguments for a Lighter Sentence That Work (and Ones That Backfire)
    2. Your Client's Statement and Victim Impact: Handling the Human Moment
    3. How Judges Use Their Discretion Within the Sentencing Range

  5. Evidence and Trial Conduct in Criminal Cases

    1. How Judges Rule on Common Evidentiary Disputes, and the Reasoning Behind the Call
    2. Authentication, Hearsay, and Expert Challenges in the Criminal Context
    3. Making and Meeting Objections; Preserving Error for Appeal

  6. Ethics and Professionalism Before the Court

    1. Talking to the Court the Right Way: Avoiding Improper One-Sided Contact
    2. Being Honest With the Court, and What to Do When Something Goes Wrong
    3. Civility, Professionalism, and Your Reputation in Front of the Bench

Who Should Attend

This program is designed for attorneys. Criminal defense lawyers, prosecutors, and general litigators who appear in state trial courts will gain the most direct value. Paralegals supporting criminal trial teams will also benefit, as will newer attorneys building courtroom judgment and seasoned practitioners seeking the candid judicial perspective they rarely get elsewhere.

Speakers

Hon. Michael D Peterson
Hon. Michael D.
Peterson
Graham County Superior Court
Hon. Anita Ashley
Hon. Anita
Ashley
West Virginia Judiciary
Steven B Vinick
Steven B.
Vinick
Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll, P.C.
Hon. Jennifer Balido
Hon. Jennifer
Balido
Dallas County Criminal District Court No. 1
Hon. James G Carr
Hon. James G.
Carr
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
Hon. Jared C Bennett
Hon. Jared C.
Bennett
United States District Court for the District of Utah
Michael D Dean
Michael D.
Dean
Withered Burns, LLP
Hon. Thomas P Murphy
Hon. Thomas P.
Murphy
Dallas County Fifth Judicial District Court
Speaker bio
Hon. Michael D Peterson

Hon. Michael D. Peterson

Graham County Superior Court
Michael Peterson

is a judge at the Graham County Superior Court in Arizona. He was appointed to the bench on September 1, 2015. Judge Peterson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in 1996. He then completed a J.D. degree at Baylor Law School in 1999. Judge Peterson was named the First Things First Graham/Greenlee Champion for Young Children in 2020.

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Speaker bio
Hon. Anita Ashley

Hon. Anita Ashley

West Virginia Judiciary
Anita Ashley

is a Circuit Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit in Jackson, Calhoun, Mason and Roane Counties.

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Speaker bio
Steven B Vinick

Steven B. Vinick

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll, P.C.
Steven Vinick

is of counsel with the law firm of Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll, P.C., with over 20 years of experience in the fields of personal injury law, medical malpractice, criminal defense, and general civil litigation. Mr. Vinick is a frequent lecturer on numerous topics including civil litigation, automobile claims, depositions, evidence, Medicare and criminal defense. Mr. Vinick speaks to many organizations such as the National Business Institute, the Maryland State Bar Association and The Federal Bar Association. He earned his B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, from the University of Maryland; and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Mr. Vinick is a member of the Bar Associations of Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County Bar Foundation (Bar Leader), Maryland State Bar Association (vice chair, Continuing Legal Education & Publications Committee), Prince George's County Bar Association (president (2025-2026)-president-elect (2024-2025)-Board of Directors-Executive Committee-Tort Law Committee co-chair-treasurer), The Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Washington D.C. Trial Lawyers Association, Prince George's County, Judicial Nominating Commission, Maryland Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice. Additionally, he is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Vinick is licensed to practice law in Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been honored and awarded the Best Lawyers (2019-2026), Maryland Super Lawyer (2012-2026) (Top 100 Attorney in Maryland (2022-2025)), Washington D.C. Super Lawyer (2012-2023) Bethesda Magazine (Top Attorney (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025)), and the Best Attorneys of America, Lifetime Member Maryland Association of Justice (Trial Lawyer of the Year (2011).

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Speaker bio
Hon. Jennifer Balido

Hon. Jennifer Balido

Dallas County Criminal District Court No. 1
Jennifer Balido

currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 1 in Dallas County, managing a docket of more than 4,000 felony criminal offenses from low-level drug cases to capital murder.

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Speaker bio
Hon. James G Carr

Hon. James G. Carr

United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
James Carr

is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

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Speaker bio
Hon. Jared C Bennett

Hon. Jared C. Bennett

United States District Court for the District of Utah
Jared Bennett

is a magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah. He assumed office on June 1, 2020.

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Speaker bio
Michael D Dean

Michael D. Dean

Withered Burns, LLP
Michael Dean

is a partner at Withered Burns, LLP in Lafayette, Indiana, a general civil litigation firm. He earned his B.S. degree from Indiana University and J.D. degree from the University of Dayton School of Law, where he received the awards for Academic Achievement and served on the University of Dayton Law Review. Mr. Dean dedicated the first 12 years of practice to criminal litigation as a public defender, prosecutor, and private practitioner. He is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association. Mr. Dean has authored numerous articles published by Criminal Justice Magazine, an American Bar Association publication. He previously was responsible for his own quarterly column titled "Bootcamp Esq." which focused on advice for new criminal practitioners.

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Speaker bio
Hon. Thomas P Murphy

Hon. Thomas P. Murphy

Dallas County Fifth Judicial District Court
Thomas Murphy

is a District Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial District in Iowa.

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