JAG’s Work in a Highly Specialized Field

Interviewer: How many cases did you oversee as a JAG attorney?

Chris: In the lifespan of an active duty JAG, not everybody goes to court. The majority of JAGS will have two cases. You’ll have two cases but then those going to litigation and you’ll start to see 20, 30 cases.

Then you see people who specialize and have handled 100 cases, but that’s the exception. Just because you’re a JAG officer, doesn’t mean that you specialize in criminal law. It’s just like any other area of law.

It’s a specialty and the more familiar you are with it, the more understanding you’re going to have of the overall system.

Interviewer: Are there any other insights you have because you work in this area of law?

Chris: The advice of counsel is always important and I think it is human nature to want to get unpleasant things over with. However, in that haste you could make a harmful admission to the interrogators and I just wanted to reiterate the importance of consulting with an experienced defense attorney before answering questions.