Lawyers John Davis and Tom Noble presented to the U.S. Government classes Friday, Jan. 30th. They
presented on their jobs as a prosecuting attorney and a defense attorney, respectively. Davis works as an assistant United States attorney and prosecutes federal court cases. Noble specializes in the areas of DWI’s, federal and state drug charges, and other felonies.

“If that is a bar fight, this is a fencing match,” Davis said comparing state and federal court, “I learned how to try a case there and I learned how to practice law here.”

He explained the minimums for trying a narcotics cases in federal court. He explained that a cell phone is your worst enemy when it comes to criminal activity. He explained that he can get a wiretap put on any phone with a court order and can listen for 30 days once he gets confirmation from the judge.

“In a court case Government goes first, we have the burden of production and the burden of persuasion,” Davis said, “Its because I am the guy that pointed the finger and now I have to prove it.”

“Trying a case is all about storytelling the government tells their side of the story and then I try to make the jury doubt the government’s side of the story,” Noble said.

He went on explaining how he cross-examines a witness by trying to punch holes in the prosecuting attorney’s story. He does this by telling a story that has nothing to do with the case at hand but only to use what the government has presented against the prosecuting attorney. He does this to put doubt in the minds of the jury to get the charges placed on his client dismissed which in turn causes him to win the court case.