An Anonymous Voice With An Attitude
Gideon’s blog attracts judges, lawmakers and crime victims
By CHRISTIAN NOLAN
The blogger’s screen name is Gideon. The moniker may not ring a bell, but perhaps you’ve heard of the blog itself -- apublicdefender.com. We don’t know if Gideon is a man or woman (for convenience, we’ll use “he” in this article), or where the person practices law and for how long.
We only know Gideon is a public defender in Connecticut and the web site contains news and commentary on all sorts of issues that arise in criminal court as well as some other hot topics -- such as same-sex marriage.
We also know that Gideon has an audience. He gets as many as 5,000 hits a week. His posts on whether attorneys should ever make statements to the press about confidential conversations generated more than 50 comments.
And we know this: Gideon is part of a wave of anonymous bloggers that is bringing a fresh style of discourse to a tradition-steeped profession. No longer are lawyers limited to footnoted law journal articles, formal lecturers at conferences or chit-chat at bar meetings. Blogs are more immediate, more candid, more passionate.
Gideon believes that legal blogs are a great way for lawyers to get “nuanced” information, but he thinks too few lawyers are utilizing them.
“I hope [blogging] gets more mainstream acceptance among lawyers,” he said. “Right now, I get the sense that most lawyers don't think much of blogs. They're missing out on a lot. Blogs…are a great way to communicate with other lawyers, to share ideas and stay on top of the law. I'd definitely like to see more Connecticut bloggers. Currently, there are only 4 or 5 of us.”
Gideon, as one of the leading legal bloggers in the state, agreed to an e-mail interview so as to keep anonymity.
“I started blogging a few years ago because I had a lot to say and the people I work with got sick of listening to me,” Gideon said. “I figured blogging was the perfect way to express my thoughts about criminal law and current events without alienating co-workers.”
Gideon’s posts go beyond noting events in the news and offering links. They include a heavy dose of his own views, often sprinkled with humor. Recent posts have focused on the latest O.J Simpson case; the high cost of placing one of the incarcerated Cheshire murder defendants on a “suicide watch;” and “10 Things I Didn’t Learn In Law School.” (No. 6: “Your clients will hate you. They will think they are smarter than you. They will try to tell you what to do.”)
Said Gideon: “The blog started out mostly as reactionary commentary on the news du jour. I didn't ‘decide’ to blog about anything and there was no specific theme other than to provide commentary on criminal law, my opinions on news and cases and so-called ‘fundamental principles’.
“I try to share things I've learned in my years as a public defender and the ‘theme’ (if any) is how to be a better lawyer for yourself and your client, besides just providing information.”
Range Of Readers
It takes a new blog some time to develop a readership. Gideon is pleased at the growth of apublicdefender.com.
“While I often joke that I have seven readers, that's actually not true. For some reason, I seem to have developed a few loyal readers,” he said.
“Although it's impossible to know for sure, readership seems to be spread across various categories: lawmakers, judges, Connecticut lawyers -- both criminal and otherwise -- out-of-state lawyers, non-lawyers, victims, victims' advocates, judges.”
Gideon said that state Rep. Michael Lawlor, co-chair of the legislator’s Judiciary Committee, “has stopped by a few times.” Gideon also received comments from ordinary residents of Cheshire and Southbury after the Cheshire triple murder and the release of serial rapist David Pollitt in Southbury.
Gideon said he ranges between 4,000 and 5,000 hits per week and gets an average of up to 20 comments per post. “Of course, there are duds, where no one comments, but I don't mind that either,” Gideon joked.
Gideon also reads other legal blogs. His favorites include Scotusblog, Second Circuit Blog, Fourth Amendment Blog and Capital Defense Weekly. Gideon often goes to them after reading an important court decision. “I’d turn to one of the criminal law blogs to see their take on how it impacts our practice. And usually these posts are up within a day or so of the opinion being issued, if not hours,” Gideon said.
“This is information from people who understand our practice and know the area of law. It's extremely useful and helpful in keeping up with changes in the law when we might not have time to digest each and every decision ourselves.”
Perhaps the toughest part of writing the blog has been staying anonymous. Gideon said some devoted readers may have figured out his identity, and that he likes to “throw out bits of misinformation now and then” to keep others off the track.
In the end, Gideon said, what make blogging worthwhile is that it’s led to his – or her -- “re-education.”
“Blogging's forced me to read more cases, to analyze them, to look at legal current events and make them Connecticut relevant for my posts,” he said. “Blogging has introduced me to some very intelligent lawyers from across the country and from them I've learned how to be a better lawyer. If I can pass that along to someone else through my blog, that's all the gratification I need.”•
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