Beat The Prosecution

Jon Katz

Welcome to Beat The Prosecution with Fairfax, Virginia criminal defense / DUI lawyer Jonathan Katz. Jon Katz believes in spreading the word of justice on this podcast, in court, and on his blog at https://katzjustice.com/blog, to regularly provide information and ideas for beating your prosecution. More information is available at https://KatzJustice.com and at (703)-383-1100.

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Top 10 Beat The Prosecution Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Beat The Prosecution episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Beat The Prosecution for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Beat The Prosecution episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Winning with fiercely compassionate mindfulness and samurai spirit- Michael Carroll of Global Coaching Alliance

Beat The Prosecution

04/09/25 • 71 min

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In 2015, Fairfax criminal lawyer Jonathan Katz finished court early enough to rush over to the Mindful Leadership conference in Arlington, eager to meet such great teachers as Roshi Joan Halifax, Jim Dethmer and Rhonda Magee. Sold out, said a front desk person. A woman overheard my asking what I could do about that, and she sold me her extra ticket.

This conference was so good that it would have been worth flying coast-to-coast for such an experience. Learning applications of mindfulness to my life and work are very important. Among the best teachers for that at this conference was author of Awake at Work (and more) Michael Carroll -- currently with Global Coaching Alliance, and a student of such advanced teachers as Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche -- who immediately captured me with leading a grounding sit followed soon after with the story of a tollbooth angel who would greet people even at the most trafficked, sweaty and stressful times of day, hand them an M&M candy, and wish them a nice day.

Michael bridges any gap between mindfulness and Buddhist teachings and applying them to the real world, including the rough and tumble of the workplace, and, in this episode, the courthouse.

I should have known long ago already about highly accomplished samurai and Five Rings author Miyamoto Musashi, but did not, other than hearing about Five Rings. In this podcast interview with Jon Katz, Michael masterfully relates the lessons of Musashi's masterful defeat of Sasaki Kojiro to its applications to our own lives.

Michael is a life tourguide who helps reveal plenty, including lessons and truisms that are right in front of our eyes, but that we have yet to see more clearly. Check out -- and read -- his books and more here.

This podcast with Fairfax, Virginia criminal / DUI lawyer Jon Katz is playable on all devices at podcast.BeatTheProsecution.com. For more information, visit https://KatzJustice.com or contact us at [email protected], 703-383-1100 (calling), or 571-406-7268 (text).
If you like what you hear on our Beat the Prosecution podcast, please take a moment to post a review at our Apple podcasts page (with stars only, or else also with a comment) at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beat-the-prosecution/id1721413675

Conscious Leader Deb Katz- Winning without negative reactivity

Beat The Prosecution

09/19/24 • 59 min

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In 2015, Fairfax criminal lawyer Jon Katz finished court earlier than expected, and beelined to the Mindful Leadership conference in Crystal City, Virginia, in part to meet speaker Roshi Joan Halifax. Snagging a ticket to this soldout event, Jon met Roshi Joan, and also sat mesmerized by speaker Jim Dethmer's (co-founder of the Conscious Leadership Group) talk about conscious leadership, and about the difference between leading from above the line (where one is open, curious, and not attacking) versus from below the line. This conscious leadership approach is fully addressed in The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp.
The challenges abound for criminal defense lawyers and their clients to get sidetracked by actually or apparently slinged mud, heartlessness, dehumanization efforts, underhandedness and prevarication from various quarters in the courthouse and beyond. Getting angry and misdirected is weakening. Smiling in the face of proverbial flying vomit and diarrhea -- when knowing the possibilities of sweet success that may be right around the corner -- is the powerful way to proceed.
Conscious Leadership's Deb Katz pulls no punches in addressing how she transitioned from years of proceeding as an unconscious leader to a conscious one. She talks about how it is possible to say f--k you from above the line, and how sweetness does not automatically put one above the line. Deb addresses how Conscious Leadership draws on numerous pre-existing approaches to leading in a beneficial way. She and Jon both benefit from the teachings and practices of Ho'oponopono, which is featured on a previous Beat The Prosecution podcast episode.
This conversation between Jon Katz and Deb Katz (same last name, but no close family connection) dives deep into transitioning into the conscious leadership approach.
The universal and Apple podcasts URL for this episode are at https://podcast.beattheprosecution.com/2293867/episodes/15777966
and https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beat-the-prosecution/id1721413675?i=1000669998168

Winning from the center of the story- Jon Katz on persuasive storytelling and scene re-enactment

Beat The Prosecution

04/18/25 • 11 min

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Fairfax criminal lawyer Jonathan Katz learned early in his trial career about the critical role of persuasive storytelling, executed throughout the trial, and not only in opening and closing. Jon Katz in this first Beat the Prosecution episode in a year without a guest, illustrates how he won an assault trial by supporting his client's alibi by illustrating the alleged assault's happening in Club Blah, where the defendant at the time was in Club Ah, and could not bring himself to stepping foot in Club Blah any more than he could bring himself to drinking a cask of prune juice mixed with vinegar.

The persuasive story at trial usually is not found overnight, but is discovered with close attention and listening, visiting the incident scene, and bringing the listeners to the scene and the circle and center of the story, often incorporating all five of the human senses.

Read more about persuasive storytelling in court, with Jon's article published in the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers newsletter, entitled "Story power – DID YOU DO IT? Transporting the jury to the persuasive circle of the story, and applying psychodrama."

Persuasive storytelling is a central approach of the National Criminal Defense College's Trial Practice Institute that Jon attended for two weeks in 1994, and the Trial Lawyers College, which Jon attended for an entire month in 1995, with psychodrama and scene re-enactment also being major focuses of the Trial Lawyers College.

The parallel video of this podcast is at Fairfax Criminal Lawyer on Winning from the Center of Persuasive Storytelling

Cross-exam wizard Larry Pozner- Winning with full preparation, focus, and compassion

Beat The Prosecution

07/08/24 • 43 min

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Cross examination master Larry Pozner https://www.pozneroncross.com for decades has been practicing law and teaching criminal defense and other lawyers how to effectively cross examine witnesses, without needing to be born with that ability. Fairfax, Virginia, criminal defense / DUI lawyer Jonathan Katz first met Larry at a National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers conference in Philadelphia in 1991. Jon Katz was immediately drawn to Larry's excellence as a lawyer and teacher, and his selflessness in sharing what he knows. Larry travels all over the country and beyond teaching cross examination. He is a very disciplined and dedicated attorney for obtaining the best possible results for his clients.

Larry Pozner has been particularly devoted to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and to the criminal defense lawyers who learn from him. Jon was blessed for Larry to have been among his two cross examination instructors at the 1994 Trial Practice Institute of the National Criminal Defense College in Georgia. Listen to this podcast episode for Jon's discussion with Larry about that experience and much more. Larry is one of many great NACDL members and other attorneys who welcomed Jon Katz into the fold of criminal defense and to the recognition that even solo practicing criminal defense attorneys never need to feel that they are alone.
Larry Pozner and friend Roger Dodd's Cross-Examination: Science and Techniques are essential for any trial lawyer.
https://store.lexisnexis.com/products/crossexamination-science-and-techniques-skuusSku6893 Learn more about Larry,,his upcoming programs and his training DVDs at https://www.pozneroncross.com

Relentless defense on the road to victory- Fairfax public defender / Justice Forward Virginia leader Bryan T. Kennedy

Beat The Prosecution

11/26/24 • 58 min

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"Aspiring full time anti-racist" is how senior Fairfax public defender lawyer Bryan T. Kennedy describes himself on his Twitter page. In this episode of Beat the Prosecution, Bryan joins Fairfax criminal and DUI defense lawyer Jonathan Katz in discussing how to beat the prosecution both in court and through out-of-court action, action, and more action, including with strength in numbers and having a great team of lawyers and non-lawyers.
Bryan is a founding member of Justice Forward Virginia , which has made huge inroads in bringing Virginia out of its capital punishment dark ages and away from its Jim Crow past, to promoting winning legislation that reduces police ability to racially profile and keeps their power better in check, and eliminates presumption of pretrial detention for certain alleged crimes; and supporting robust indigent defense and challenging mandatory minimum sentencing. I recommend donating to Justice Forward Virginia.
Bryan is a lawyer's lawyer and a public defender's public defender. He underlines how some of the greatest criminal defense lawyers start as public defender lawyers and do not have to leave their principles at the door by starting as a prosecutor instead. He is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, which is a major asset in this county with so many people who speak Spanish (and so many other non-English languages) as a first language.
Bryan is a true believe in the criminal defense cause, and is not afraid to stand up to judges and everyone else in the process. Thanks to Bryan for joining Jon Katz for an hour on this podcast episode.

Standing firm against injudicious judging- Attorney Sameera Ali, VACDL president Lauren Whitley, lawyer Erin Smith & attorney Jim Magner

Beat The Prosecution

12/13/24 • 55 min

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Criminal defense lawyers must hang together lest they hang separately. Northern Virginia lawyer Sameera Ali accepted an Alexandria Juvenile & Domestic Relations (JDR) Court request to represent an indigent defendant (for abysmally low pay), let the court know she was not available on the then-pending court date, got the prosecutor's office on board for seeking a very brief court date rescheduling to when Ms. Ali was available, and instead got issued a show cause notice to appear in the same court to address why she should not be held in jailable contempt of court.
Once this story hit the Washington Post (with the bittersweet ending of a dismissal of Sameera's show cause case, but only after a one hour hearing), the outpouring of support for Sameera came rushing through. The show cause hearing courtroom was filled with supportive criminal defense lawyers and also included prosecutors and city attorneys. With criminal defense lawyers ready to instantly rally around their mistreated sister and brother lawyers, and with the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' strike force, judges, prosecutors and police should think carefully before trespassing against one of our own.
On this Beat the Prosecution episode, Sameera and Erin Smith tell about the events following the unjust issuance of this show cause order against her, Erin's immediate departure from the Alexandria JDR court's indigent appointment list, and what happened at the hearing where the show cause order against Sameera got dismissed. Longtime public defender lawyer Lauren Whitley talks about the importance for lawyers to speak out about judges' wrongful actions. Sameera's law partner Jim Magner talks about the importance for people to recognize the devotion and talent that so many lawyers demonstrate in representing indigent defendants. Not present for this show is Christopher Leibig, Sameera's lawyer who filed this great motion to dismiss the show cause matter against Sameera.
Striking is the absence of anger nor any agenda in Sameera nor Jim, and just Sameera's getting right back in the saddle and urging criminal defense lawyers to accept court appointments to represent indigent defendants.
Many criminal defense lawyers are unsung and undersung heroes. Sameera is a hero to let the light be shined on her plight, to not let this matter knock her down, to win, and to treat such mistreatment with such dignity and can-do strength.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," as Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us. If you see or hear injustice inside our outside of the courthouse, speak out to shine a light on it, and keep working to reverse th

View from risking incarceration- Winning from the heart center- Peace & Plowshares activist Susan Crane

Beat The Prosecution

02/07/25 • 65 min

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For the first time on Fairfax, northern Virginia criminal / DUI defense lawyer Jonathan Katz's podcast, we have one of his former clients joining us. Susan Crane has engaged in four Plowshares peace actions and calculates that she has spent nearly a total of seven years of her life in jails and prisons.

Jon Katz was honored to have co-counseled with Ramsey Clark and Anabel Dwyer in defending Susan, Jesuit Father Stephen Kelly, Elizabeth Walz, and Father Philip Berrigan in Susan's third Plowshares action, in 1999 hammering on two A-10 military aircraft, to convert them due to the depleted uranium missiles they were equipped to fire. Pretrial, Jon convinced the judge to dismiss the sabotage and conspiracy to commit sabotage counts against the defendants, leaving pending property destruction and conspiracy to commit property destruction counts, and an assault count against Susan that she got dismissed when the jury could not reach a verdict on that count. When the judge prevented the jury from hearing testimony from defense depleted uranium expert Douglas Rokke, the defendants dramatically shut down their participation in the trial.

When prosecuted, Susan and all other Plowshares activists admit her actions, but insists that they were necessary and permitted under international law. We hear Susan's lessons for beating the prosecution from her heart-centered, engaging approach that cares deeply about everyone, including those who arrest her. She was ready to share information about depleted uranium with a soldier who was exposed to it. When hammering on material at a Lockheed Martin facility, Susan's fellow Plowshares activist Steve Kelly suggested that the employee in the room call security, lest he face job repercussions otherwise. That employee whispered to them that their action was courageous, and a circle of employees arrived and observed their actions, without stopping them, until security arrived. That is engagement.

Susan is an active member of the Redwood City Catholic Worker. She has devoted her life to helping others, from peace actions, to Peace Corps work, to helping renovate squats. Jon encourages people to donate to a Catholic Worker center of your choosing. To donate to Susan's Catholic Worker center, select the Catholic Worker House- Redwood City box at this website.

Applying psychodrama and other winning Trial Lawyers College approaches- Charles Abourezk, Chief Justice of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Supreme Court

Beat The Prosecution

03/10/25 • 58 min

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South Dakota trial lawyer Charles Abourezk has a compelling story as a lawyer and beyond that role. He grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, and advocated for Indian Americans before and after law school. He represented indigenous people's interests at the United Nations. He produced and directed radio and television programming concerning Native Americans.

Charlie is Chief Justice of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Supreme Court in South Dakota; Justice of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Appellate Court; Justice of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Appellate Court; and Special Judge for Oglala Sioux Tribal Courts.

Charlie attended the Trial Lawyers College in 1997, two years before your podcast host Jonathan Katz attended. There, Charlie particularly took to psychodrama. He remains and teaches actively on staff at the National Psychodrama Training Center.

Charlie's late father James Abourezk was the first United States Arab American senator, who subsequently founded the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). He was a strong advocate for Native American rights while in the U.S. House and Senate.

Law enforcement once searched Charlie's home on the reservation, and followed him around for a period of time, I take it due to his support of Native Americans. He says such an experience makes you stronger.

Charlie strongly and aptly believes in the power of psychodrama for winning in court. His devotion to Native American rights made inviting him for this interview all the more compelling for Jon Katz, whose close friend and spirtual teacher Jun Yasuda strongly supports Native American rights.

Episode I- Fully Defend in Criminal Court

Beat The Prosecution

12/14/23 • 16 min

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Join Fairfax, Virginia criminal and DUI defense lawyer Jon Katz for our regularly posted Beat The Prosecution podcast, devoted to pursuing your best defense in criminal court. This first Beat the Prosecution episode introduces you to attorney Jon Katz and his team, and dives right in with insights on starting on the right foot for a great defense.

Winning while redefining what is victory: Trial Teacher & Asheville criminal defense lawyer Fredilyn Sison

Beat The Prosecution

02/11/25 • 64 min

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"I lucked out with getting interviewed by a great host." Those are the words of this episode's guest Fredilyn "Fredi" Sison, upon speaking for the first time on a podcast.

Fairfax, Northern Virginia, criminal / DUI defense lawyer Jonathan Katz has known Fredi for years. Jon Katz and Fredi Sison are both graduates -- from separate years -- of the multi-week Trial Lawyers College, when the TLC was still at Gerry Spence's beautiful Thunderhead Ranch, outside Dubois, Wyoming, before the schism that led to the TLC's operating elsewhere. Fredi for years taught at the TLC, continues teaching at the two-week Trial Practice Institute of the National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) that Fredi and Jon attended in different years as students, and joined TLC grads Mary Peckham and Joane Garcia-Colson not only to organize women lawyer training and development sessions through the Three Sisters group, but also with Mary and Joane co-authored Trial in Action: The Persuasive Power of Pyschodrama (Trial Guides, 2010).

Fredi for years, worked as a trial lawyer at numerous public defender offices. She now is a solo practitioner in Asheville, North Carolina, primarily handling court appointments, not wanting ability to pay to come between her and her clients.

With the conviction rate being so high in federal court, Fredi redefines the meaning of winning, for instance when that means obtaining a partial acquittal, or working so hard on a sentencing that her client returns home that night rather than spending a lenthy time warehoused in prison.

Fredi believes strongly in the persuasive power of psychodrama -- which we covered in an April 2024 Beat the Prosecution episode -- and improvisational approaches. Her devotion to delivering great criminal defense is inspiring and infectious.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Beat The Prosecution have?

Beat The Prosecution currently has 64 episodes available.

What topics does Beat The Prosecution cover?

The podcast is about Lawyer, Attorney, Virginia, Criminal, Podcasts, Education, Crime and Government.

What is the most popular episode on Beat The Prosecution?

The episode title 'Trial readiness needs to lead your criminal defense.' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Beat The Prosecution?

The average episode length on Beat The Prosecution is 47 minutes.

How often are episodes of Beat The Prosecution released?

Episodes of Beat The Prosecution are typically released every 7 days, 1 hour.

When was the first episode of Beat The Prosecution?

The first episode of Beat The Prosecution was released on Dec 14, 2023.

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Beat The Prosecution

Jon Katz

Top 10 Beat The Prosecution Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Beat The Prosecution have?

What topics does Beat The Prosecution cover?

What is the most popular episode on Beat The Prosecution?

What is the average episode length on Beat The Prosecution?

How often are episodes of Beat The Prosecution released?

When was the first episode of Beat The Prosecution?

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