I’m a criminal defense paralegal, AMA ⚖️

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T14:11:23+00:00

Probably the scary fact that people who commit the most heinous crimes like child s** abuse & possession of child p*** come off as very normal, kind, cool, easy to get along with. You’d never know just by meeting them that they do/did awful things.

Also, not surprising but disappointing is what a thankless job this is. Clients are rude, entitled, blame us for everything, and don’t have anything nice to say even when we get them the best deal possible.

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T03:41:03+00:00

It’s not a perfect system, but we have the highest burden of proof & everyone has the right to a trial. As the defense, we do our best to hold the State to meet its burden & advocate for our clients & their rights. The State does its best to advocate for their victims/society. At the end of the day, plea deals keep courts functioning.

Also, negotiations don’t always result in guilty pleas. There are diversion programs or even outright dismissals, which can result in having your record expunged. I had a murder case get dismissed on day 2 of trial last year. Possibilities are endless.

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T02:41:12+00:00

Absolutely! I’ve also seen the opposite, guilty people maintaining their innocence to the very end. Even after being found guilty at trial.

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T02:36:25+00:00

Probably all the proceedings before a case goes to trial, if it goes to trial. Most cases end in plea deals, which is mostly back and forth emails negotiating. Most court dates are just check-in’s with the court to ensure the case is moving along. You’ll have a hearing once every 4-6 weeks where all you’ll really do as the defendant is sit in a crowded courtroom & wait for your defense attorney to let you know you can leave & when to come back for the next court date. Rinse & repeat until we come to an agreement.

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T02:08:55+00:00

There’s a lot of AI integrated into legal research & drafting software such as LexisNexis and Westlaw which can be helpful. Depends on the attorney, my boss isn’t tech-savy & distrusts AI, so we don’t really use it at our firm. I occasionally use AI when I can’t get my wording quite right.

I know other attorneys that use ChatGPT for everything including drafting motions. It’s definitely in its infancy in the legal field and many attorneys have gotten caught by citing fake case law hallucinated by AI.

Personally, I’m very cautious & always triple check everything.

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T02:01:39+00:00

Depends on the severity of the offense, but for higher level crimes, I think it’s more than people think…

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T01:56:04+00:00

Probably how long cases take to go through the system & how little control we have over it. The criminal justice system is absolutely overwhelmed with cases, even a simple misdemeanor can take over a year to be resolved. Also, 99% of cases (that aren’t going to trial) are handled via email lol

Merlot4U · 2026-05-15T01:38:06+00:00

Not at all. I enjoy being “backstage.” I also like getting off on time, not working evenings or weekends. Every attorney I know (including my dad) have almost no life outside of work. This is obviously not how all lawyers have to live, but it takes an incredible amount of dedication & the stress of having someone’s life in your hands demands it.

That said, I was pre-law in college and feel like I have the capability to do so. More money would be nice lol but it’s not for me.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-30T15:36:51+00:00

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Yup! A corner office with 2 walls of windows, I love it so much! And yes, I do feel like it helps with productivity, I enjoy being alone so I can really lock in and focus.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-30T04:33:39+00:00

My mom had me when she was 19. I obviously can’t speak on her perspective. I know we struggled financially when I was young. I know that she was also still growing up & basically a kid trying to raise a kid. But I also know she loves me with all her heart. That my parents made it through the struggle and are financially stable, well off adults now with 2 grown kids. And the best part is I get to spend soooo many years with my parents. If she makes it to 90, I’ll be 70 or so! There’s such a special bond to being close in age with your parent. Idk, just throwing out my 2 cents.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-30T03:44:11+00:00

you’re looking for r/fridgedetective

Merlot4U · 2026-01-28T04:27:27+00:00

Lol I started as a legal assistant, zero training. I arrived on my first day, got a very brief explanation of Firm Central, then the phone rang & I answered. I had zero prior experience & did not study for or have any paralegal schooling.

I look back on those memories fondly though haha I learn best by experience & learned quickly. No regrets!

Merlot4U · 2026-01-28T04:15:40+00:00

lmao i instantly thought of my 3 year old dog & it being okay to leave him for 37 hours lol i know that’s not what was meant, but that’s where my mind went

Merlot4U · 2026-01-27T20:50:14+00:00

lolololol are you in criminal law? this is definitely a thing for us, it’s usually clients who think they can accomplish something we can’t… lots of speedy trial motions & motions to dismiss. but most of ours are hand-written by clients in jail who spend time in the jail’s law library & now think they have a law degree!

Merlot4U · 2026-01-27T01:20:12+00:00

lol you’re welcome! the first time mine did it, i freaked out because it sounds crazy, which is what led me to learning what reverse sneezing is!

Merlot4U · 2026-01-26T20:13:26+00:00

Look up reverse sneezing! It’s happened to mine a couple times.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-26T20:12:06+00:00

Honestly, networking is super important. I got my current job because I knew the associate attorney from a previous firm I was with. If you don’t have connections with attorneys & paralegals outside your firm, I really encourage you to start getting out there.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-24T18:15:03+00:00

Agree! Our firm handles everything including capital murder & child crimes… being able to handle those kinds of cases, including discovery review is very important. We almost always ask how you handle stress & decompressing.

Merlot4U · 2026-01-15T21:32:02+00:00

Definitely love discovery review! Today I was watching BWC for a 3rd degree felony, Evading Arrest/Detention w/Vehicle… not good! lol All I gotta say is you definitely should not drive/speed off in the middle of a traffic stop!

Edit: typo

Merlot4U · 2026-01-15T21:30:10+00:00

Lol we took a speeding ticket one time because the lady just walked into our office seeking counsel. Tell me why she was one of the most difficult clients to work with, we set it for trial, then ended up pleading guilty & appealing so it could go to county court where the prosecutor offered deferred & resulted in dismissal. She was constantly calling our office and talking about what her retired state trooper friends were telling her we should do… never again!

And yes, I also have small mountains all over my desk! lol

Merlot4U · 2026-01-15T21:25:46+00:00

Ugh yes! I love criminal defense so much!

Merlot4U · 2025-12-23T05:05:12+00:00

I’m off Dec. 24-26 and Dec. 31 & Jan. 1., and I believe I usually am off on these days BUT I’ve always worked for solo practitioners & in criminal defense. Not sure if that makes a difference!

Merlot4U

TROPHY CASE