Order in the Court! Order in the Court! Lawyers can't say or do just anything in the court room. For example, apparently a flick of a lawyers wrist in Austin Texas resulted in jail time for contempt of court. Attorney Adam Reposa was apparently sentenced to 90 days in jail because the gesture was construed as lewd (it allegedly simulated masturbation.) The gesture was apparently made in the presence of a County Court-at-Law judge. (Talk about poor judgment.)
At a recent contempt hearing, Judge Jan Breland said Reposa, a 33 year old attorney, rolled his eyes and motioned with his right hand. Reposa apparently claims the gesture came from near his hip and was not aimed at the judge. (Apparently it was intended as a gesture to a prosecutor while discussing negotiating a plea in a drunken driving case.) Reposa's attorney advocated for a one day sentence. However, Special Visiting State Judge Paul Davis, said it was his "honor to uphold the integrity of the judicial process. " Judge Davis sentenced Reposa to 90 days.
A little research shows that Judge Paul Davis teaches a course on courtroom decorum to new judges. Judge Davis sounded genuinely concerned that Reposa seemed to be attempting to justify his behavior as "a zealous attorney" defending a client. In a closing argument, County Attorney Randy Leavitt argued that this was not Reposa's first offensive behavior and suggested that he had previously uttered offensive names in court. The Austin Statesman can be found here: http://www.statesman.com/
Adam "bulletproof" Reposa is a 2001 Graduate of University of Texas Law School. No disciplinary violations are reported at a State Bar of Texas Lawyer Site LINK
According to Keytv.com Reposa is out on bail pending an appeal.
Update 10-29-09: Adam Reposa interview on Youtube may demonstrate this lawyers cockiness, but it is hard to argue with his results. VIDEO LINK. And no, Reposa did not pay for the posting of this link.
Update 12-2-30-09: Adam Reposa received a decision this fall affirming his punishment of 90 days in jail. In an 8-1 decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Reposa’s application for a writ of habeas corpus in his contempt case. Judge Lawrence Meyers, the lone dissenter in Ex Parte Adam Reposa, did not write an opinion. Http://www.cca.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/HTMLOpinionInfo.asp?OpinionID=18903
His 90 days should be close to being up soon. One wonders whether he will change his nick name of "bulletproof."
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27 comments:
He is a handsome tough criminal defense attorney that just lost his cool. He should not be treated as a criminal!
Reposa supposes his toes are roses but Reposa supposes erroneously.
The young whippersnapper needs to be taught to behave in front of a judge.
It is not L.A. law. There are rules of court room decorum and Anthony crossed that line. Now he needs to accept the consequences of his actions. Just because he meant the gesture for the prosecutor that does not make it alright. The prosecutor is also an officer of the court.
90 days seems like a lot. Maybe a long weekend would teach the "whippersnapper", but sheesh 90 days?
Is Reposa being used to set an example?
Jill
Adam is a legend in the courtroom. If you want to see some free entertainment go watch him try a dwi case and win.
The man has no moral compass. He is handsome, yes, but a very, very lost soul. He may become a great lawyer... some day. As of right now he's just entertainment.
Maybe Adam is bullet proof?
From what I hear, Adam has more supporters then detracters! He apparently gets good results interjecting humor and sarcasim into the proceedings. Every one should know that the State sometimes stretches a case too thin, Reposa exposes the stretch and makes people laugh while doing it.
I doubt he meant any malicious disrespect.
Adam Reposa is welcome to post his comments here, if he wishes. In the interim, Adam definitely appears to have some unconventional tactics. The trial judge thought he crossed the line. An Appellate Court will decide if the 90 days was too severe.
Apparently there is a quote by Reposa to the Austin American-Statesman, "if you look at contempt law, every case is the same -- you lose at the trial court and you win on appeal."
Reposa's Appellate attorney apparently think the sentence was excessive and the finding of contempt erroneous.
90 days in jail with hardened criminals may be too tough for even Adam "Bulletproof" Reposa.
Judge Paul Davis sent a message. If Adam did not receive it, perhaps he never will. There are lines that can not be crossed. To cross them, is to invite one's self into the behind bars hospitality of the state.
The following is input from Adam Reposa posted on another blog
http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/04/acdla-and-the-reposa-affair.html
I wasn’t thinking then, but I am being railroaded now!! Look I try every DWI I can no matter how bad the facts because you will get less time from a jury than if you plead guilty. Free bite at the apple. This judge is very lenient on punishment, but she does not make it easy to get a day in court. I had a jury out on a .105 breath test case where my client got in a wreck and urinated on himself. During deliberations I told the judge “I don’t know” meaning about the verdict and she said emphatically “what you client who blew over the limit and peed on himself might be guilty!” Jury acquitted.
She looked absolutely exasperated on March 11 from my mere presence when I arrived from Dallas, and we go into court where the RECORD shows that the first thing she tells my client is “you have been in since November” (he was sitting out 7 months state jail on an unrelated case but had all the time he needed–judgementproof). POINT–judge knows the max can’t hurt him. Then proceeds to tell my client –there are pros and cons to having a trial, I try to tell him that there is no con you have all the time in the world “Mr. Reposa be quiet, Mr. Prosecutor please read Mr. XXXXXXX the offer. So I whisper in my clients ear “Make them pick a jury, they will dismiss your Fucking marijuana weak ass bullshit DWI where you were stopped for inspection stickers!” the the prosecutor “Judge let the record reflect Mr. Reposa is still whispering in his client’s ear!” That is when I made the gesture, under the bench I thought. “I saw that says the Judge!” Now she goes into court and says “He looks me in the eyes, makes the gesture and rolls his eyes” Then why does the record say “I saw that” Because they want me out of practice. C’mon CCA. Simply she and I don’t get along. She introduces me to jury panels as a young lawyer, I stand up and ask the record to reflect I have tried over 50 DWI jury trials. She thinks I am disrespectful, and I won’t make any more public comments. Again c’mon CCA
I bet Reposa is effective in the court room!
DWI? Reposa is your man!
If you are in trouble in Texas with DWI, do you want him as an advocate? The short answer appears to be an overwhelmingly YES!
Wow! what an idea ! What a concept ! Beautiful .. Amazing …
Reposa appears to be that good as a genuine advocate. Not sure what the above comment was inferring.
More precisely does not happen
Update 12-2-30-09: Adam Reposa received a decision this fall affirming his punishment of 90 days in jail. In an 8-1 decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Reposa’s application for a writ of habeas corpus in his contempt case. Judge Lawrence Meyers, the lone dissenter in Ex Parte Adam Reposa, did not write an opinion. Http://www.cca.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/HTMLOpinionInfo.asp?OpinionID=18903
His 90 days should be close to being up soon. One wonders whether he will change his nick name of "bulletproof."
Again a good post. Thanks your crony
I will not concur on it. I over warm-hearted post. Specially the title attracted me to be familiar with the intact story.
I am a courtroom lawyer. I would never consider doing what he did, and I don't think it is at all appropriate (and I am certainly no prude). However, I understand the urge to tell opposing counsel to go f#$@ themselves, and if I did do it in open court, it would never occur to me that I could go to jail for it.
I could drive drunk or randomly punch someone on the street and the chance that I would get jail time is slim. For that reason alone, even if this guy is the jerk he seems to be, the punishment is simply too harsh for the crime.
Agreed! It was obvious that they tried to make an example of this young lawyer.
Reposa does have "balls of steel."
Agreed! It was obvious that they tried to make an example of this young lawyer. Reposa does have "balls of steel."
Balls of steel, but sometimes rocks in the head cloud his otherwise good judgment
He is a handsome tough criminal defense attorney that just lost his cool. He should not be treated as a criminal!
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