Usually attorneys end up arguing if and how much to punish people who violate the law. This week, Santa Cruz attorneys decided to work together instead and find a solution so that the law is upheld.
Usually attorneys end up arguing if and how much to punish people who violate the law. This week, Santa Cruz attorneys decided to work together instead and find a solution so that the law is upheld. It all began with a homeless couple, Miguel DeLeon, 35, and Anna Richardson, 27. The two received numerous citations for sleeping outside downtown, but failed to pay the fine.
Rather than punish them for this, however, their attorney, Jonathan Gettleman, who took their case pro bono, and the public prosecutor reached a deal in court. Gettleman would help the couple find jobs, while the DA’s office would find them affordable housing to keep them off the street. Gettleman later described the solution as a balance between “the city’s right to order and the fact there is nowhere for them to legally sleep when the armory is not open.” It is a solution that could actually work. Read more at the Mercury News.
