Favorite Parts of Being a Deputy District Attorney in Trial Litigation
As a Deputy District Attorney at Trial Litigation, the most enjoyable aspect of the role is being "in the driver's seat of decision making" to ultimately determine what justice looks like on a case-by-case basis, and having a wide array of tools, from diversion to leading the charge on sentencing, to help achieve that. Lance is grateful to be in a position to make these impactful decisions.
Criminal Justice, Decision-Making, Legal Profession, Trial Litigation, Justice System
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
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Job Functions
Traits
Lance Cotton
Deputy District Attorney
Trial Litigation
California State University: Long Beach
Chapman University, School of Law
Criminal Justice
Law
Legal
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Decision-making Authority: The Deputy District Attorney has significant control over case resolution, including deciding whether to proceed to trial, offer alternatives to punitive sentences, or recommend jail or prison time.
2. Variety of Tools: The role involves utilizing a wide array of tools and strategies to achieve justice.
3. Defining Justice: The Deputy District Attorney plays a key role in determining what justice looks like on a case-by-case basis, recognizing that it varies with individual circumstances.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your role?
What I enjoy most about being in my role is that I'm in the driver's seat of decision-making. When we file a criminal case, I ultimately decide how it will resolve.
This includes whether to proceed through trial, offer diversion or an alternative to a punitive sentence, or recommend whether someone goes to jail or prison. There's a wide array of tools available.
I enjoy being in the driver's seat of determining what justice is. Justice looks different on a case-by-case basis, and I'm grateful to be in a position to make those decisions.
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