Attorney Profile

Fullerton and Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney

Philosophy of Representation

The criminal defense attorney stands for the individual against the state. We are David to Goliath. Armed with little more than the Constitution, we "speak truth to power." If successful, we meet and defeat power with intellect, inspiration and compassion. And it has always been my nature, probably because I identify with the frailties of human beings as I am reminded of my own shortcomings, to favor forgiveness over blame. The defense attorney, if zealous in her advocacy with indifference to factual guilt or innocence, recognizes and reaffirms the infinite value of every single human being. We stand for redemption and for hope. In truth, it is probably my own hope for redemption that inspires me to be a champion of freedom in this way.

I, Jacqueline Goodman-Rubio, am a criminal defense lawyer because I know of no better way to celebrate the human condition and the things I truly love about it. And because I LOVE the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. And because I love my country. I do criminal defense because I know of no other way to do such humanitarian, merciful, compassionate work with so much sex appeal, It simultaneously feeds my ego and my soul. It is a contradiction, it's true. And in that is even more intrigue and challenge.

It is often said that our criminal justice system is comprised of three co-equal parts, like the proverbial legs of a stool: The prosecution, the defense and the judiciary. If one is weakened, the whole thing will collapse. As I see it, there is honor in serving any of those "legs." Many will ask, "why not prosecution?'' And indeed, isn't the prosecution's side righteous and good? And I think "of course prosecution." That's easy. It requires nothing to say, "I am against crime. I am against molestation. I am against murder." But what a challenge it is to set aside our reactive feelings of blame, reprehension and condemnation, and meet the challenge to love your enemies as yourself. "To judge not, lest ye be judged" or to "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." To live out those directives is to recognize the incomprehensible value and sanctity of every human life. No one said it would be easy. It's highly civilized, highly evolved and more godly, in my estimation, than the impulse to persecute and to judge, revile or blame. That takes no effort, intellectually or morally speaking. This is not to say that there is no honor in prosecuting crime. It is simply to say that there is at least an equal measure of honor and righteousness in defending the accused, if not more.

Each component part is ostensibly dedicated to the constitutionally designed adversarial system, and each legitimately has a role in safeguarding our society. But the criminal justice system itself must be protected against policies fashioned by popular public sentiment, which is often based on misinformation, misunderstanding and political manipulation. And those who serve the accused, who take the often unpopular position, who dare to be the last friend of the most reviled of our brothers, are champions of freedom. I think those people work to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system itself in a very special way, and in that, I find magnificence. When I remember that I am filled with such gratitude and pride.

We are all susceptible to accusation. And when it happens, the prosecution has a huge advantage. Because it's so easy to pander to the fear of crime, there is much more political will, and therefore funding and laws, carefully designed to unabashedly give the prosecution the advantage. But is not a legitimate public safely concern the protection against wrongful imprisonment, disenfranchisernent, alienation, hatred, stigma, physical harm, separation from loved ones and the life one loved, and even against a wrongful death? We don't know all that we think we do. I don't know- truly know- who is factually guilty of any act, and I don't know what circumstances may have brought the individual between the government's cross-hairs. What I do know is that when we, as defense attorneys, begin to think we can tell the innocent from the guilty, we deny our client the due process that so many intelligent and godly people conceived in principle and even died for. We usurp the entire process and judge the person guilty ourselves, for whatever capricious reason we think we should. We ensure that no jury could acquit our client. We alone hold the cards. We can never forget that. Our job as defense lawyers, first and foremost, is to actively protect individuals from the incomprehensible tragedy of a wrongful conviction. And we must consider every conviction a wrongful conviction.

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