Fault Lines: The Force Awakens

Once again, Fault Lines is ready to grow its writers.  While we’re looking for writers who bring experience, knowledge and excellent writing, we are also hoping to broaden our perspective of criminal law commentary to include other views than the criminal defense.  We would really appreciate more voices reflecting the cop’s view, the prosecutor’s view, the academic’s view and the judicial view.

Would you really like to write, but fear that you don’t have the bona fides to come aboard Fault Lines?  Toughen up, take a chance and give it a try.  We’ve got some great contributors, brilliant writers, who had no prior experience blogging, but with some mentoring have grown into must-read voices.

If you doubt me, ask any of the Fault Lines writers whether they feel they’ve grown as writers and lawyers.  More importantly, ask them whether they feel that their efforts have been worthwhile, and that they’ve been able to make a difference. If you’ve got the Force in you, I’ll wake it up. You can count on that.

It’s not easy work, and it’s no way to get rich. But if you want to have an impact on criminal law, and have something to say, this is what you need to do. Writers gotta write. If that’s you, and you have the chops to make it as a Fault Lines contributor, let me know.

13 thoughts on “Fault Lines: The Force Awakens

  1. Richard G. Kopf

    To all,

    Scott is a wonderful editor. If you want to learn to write, and have something worthwhile to say in the general area of criminal law, Scott will help you–he is a great mentor. (I would call him a nice guy, but that would really piss him off.) Fault Lines does important work, contains great writing, and is intellectually stimulating. Go for it!

    RGK

  2. CLS

    I concur with Judge Kopf.

    I took the plunge out of a desire to get better at writing and hopefully make a difference in the process.
    Scott’s kicked my ass at every opportunity, called bullshit on every argument I made that wasn’t even close to relevant, and admonished me repeatedly to either make a difference with what I write or get the fuck out.

    He’s been a boon to me in development as a writer and an incredible mentor.

    You will not be coddled, you will be challenged, and you will be forced to get better.
    As the Notorious RGK said, go for it. Worst case, he’ll say no, and you tried.

  3. Cristian

    I concur with all of the above. Write for Fault Lines. If you get lucky, a big-time publication may wanna poach you and Scott will fight to keep you.

  4. John Barleycorn

    Are you contemplating taking “one off” or “every now and then” submissions or are you insisting on regular contributions from the future writers you are soliciting? Particularly from the Fault Lines’ short staffed demographics of cops, prosecutors, and pampered professors, who, everybody knows, have to pretend they are busier than they actually are in order to justify their benefit packages.

    P.S. Who you choose to take aboard the Fault Lines Crew is none of my bususness what so ever.

    However, I will donate $2000 dollars to the favorite C-3 charity of the Robed Rider from Nebraska, if he can convince two additional federal judges to contribute at least 65,000 words each, on a yearly basis in posts that don’t exceed four pages (50,000 words if they link a tune from one of their favorite artists in every third post and their posts don’t exceed three pages).

    One can be fully retired, as long as they have not been retired for more than three years, the other has to have at least senior status and not have been on senior status for more than three years.

    It’s a twofer deal and neither can serve in or have retired from the eighth district nor serve in or have retired from the same district as the other.

    Mr. Prickett (whom I think I may start calling “shielded for guilded”) gets $2000 donated to the favorite C-3 charity of his choice if he can convince even one of the following whom is active and full time: a beat cop serving in a city PD with a municipal population of at least 100,000 residents, a Sheriff’s Deputy from County Sheriffs Department in a county of at least 175,000 residents, or a State Highway Patrol Officer who is stationed out of a municipality with at least 80,000 residents. They have to work for an entity that requires body cameras or is testing body cameras and they have to have at least eight years of active duty law enforcement experience. They must posts at least three posts a calender quarter, and in addition they must also start up a two year series of posts that includes at least four installments a calender quarter that dissects the pros and cons of requiring police to wear body cameras.

    I haven’t figured out who the Prosecutor is over at Fault Lines yet, but when I do I will offer up a bounty for them as well after I get a chance to digest their temperament and writing style.

    Professors,..meh.

      1. John Barleycorn

        Interesting. Well then, Mr. Newman will receive $2000 dollars in restaurant gift certificates, that he must give away to active public defenders of his choosing, if he can summon up some of his persuasive prosecutoral past and find a current serving prosecutor who has served in a district attorneys office as a prosecutor for at least ten years, or a prosecutor who has has retired within the last three months, before their first post, from at least twenty consecutive years as a prosecutor and is not going to practiice law in any capicity anymore.

        They also must have worn or wear brown shoes at a ratio of 10:1 over black shoes in the courtroom.

        This prosecutor has to write at least two posts a month one of which has to examine the nuisances of their or others thoughts about the grand jury, trail juries, or why they think judges should be given cool staffs toped with crystal balls to point about and gesture with in the courtroom as long as they don’t use them to whack CDL’s or the occasional prosecutor over the head with in front of a jury.

        The other post, if they choose to only write two a month, has to examine his/ her or other qualified persons theories about bail and or sentencing reform and play around with the particulars of whether they think those ideas might be a good ideas or a very bad ideas. Or a post about what they think crime victims or the families of crime victims, most desire to see changed about the criminal justice system and or admire about the criminal justice system.

        1. phroggie

          What, no music to inspire the headhunt after shaking around all of that flash? You’re slacking John.

          Wears brown shoes 10:1 over black shoes in the courtroom? Why stop there? FL needs an author that will sport neon whatever-coloured Crocs into the courtroom.

Comments are closed.