The Oral Presentation
The goal of all members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles is the same. They want to parole those who are ready to succeed and retain those inmates who have not yet reached the point of adequate punishment for the crimes committed or still pose a threat to the lives and property of Texans.
The Board’s decision to parole is based upon facts rather than emotions and their interest is beyond what is best for the inmate, his family and friends. The Board is more concerned about the impact an early release will have on the community than the well being of any one offender.
The client was convicted of a crime; otherwise he would not be in prison. Debating the guilt or innocence is usually pointless because the courts have already decided that matter. Particularly unhelpful are diatribes about the unfairness of the justice system and how “all the murderers and rapists do not stay in prison nearly this long.” The facts of the offense or offenses need to be addressed, but not dwelled upon.
Since Board Members are individuals with different backgrounds and experience the attorney’s knowledge of the Board members backgrounds and their individual approach to the decision making process is invaluable. Only an attorney who has practiced exclusively in the area of parole for a substantial period of time possesses such insights.
If an attorney is not fully honest with a Board panel that attorney will lose credibility with the entire Board. Board members talk to each other, so misleading a Board Member on one panel can damage an attorney’s reputation with the entire Board. No one can predict the future and the Board panel does not expect anyone to guarantee an inmate’s future conduct. There is a time for advocacy and subjective opinions, but when information is presented as facts, one should verify the information proffered to the panel. The best presentations are those that are well organized, argued from merit alone, and supported by objective data. The worst presentations are driven by emotional unfocused arguments, with little if any objective information provided by an attorney who knows nothing about the client or the workings of the Board. Board Members evaluate presentations and those attorneys who consistently deliver quality work will build respect and credibility. As those attorneys who practice in the courtroom know, being respected and considered credible can be the difference in winning and losing the close decisions. No case is worth losing the respect of Board Members.
Best Parole Attorney in Texas
My grandson at age 16 accepted a plea bargain of 25 years after an attorney took his money and ran. A good attorney should not have had any trouble convincing a jury that it was self defense and not murder. After serving 12-1/2 years, he had his first review for parole this year. He was represented by Gary Cohen (from Austin Tx) and was granted parole in September.
Mr. Cohen has done a superb job of representing him. He visited my grandson several times and was open and personable to myself and other family members. He had done an enormous amount of research into the case, and had a phenomenal presentation at the hearing with a parole board member. My daughter and I were allowed to speak at the hearing also and we saw that Mr. Cohen was professional, yet very down to earth. I am delighted to highly recommend Gary Cohen for anyone in a similar circumstance. His fee is pricy, but remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for”.
RLT
When I needed a parole lawyer, my attorney said to me: “Gary Cohen is the best in Texas”. And he was right. Gary Cohen was instrumental in obtaining parole for our beloved brother. He has a very sharp understanding of the complexities of the Texas parole system and was able to leverage his wealth of experience and professional connections to deliver a positive result for our brother. In addition, Gary was highly supportive, courteous and understanding to us as he led us through the complicated and lengthy parole process. We would not hesitate to recommend Gary. Thank you again Gary!
Jorge R
Gary Cohen impressed me as an attorney by being professional and just caring. I found out early by research & reviews that he was considered one of the best parole attorneys in Texas & he didn’t disappoint! From day 1, I knew I was in capable hands! The parole packet he & his team prepared was incredible, written by caring & empathetic people. The detail, the photos, the way is was written was superb! There is no guarantee of outcome, of course, but I can assure you he & his team will do everything in their power to represent you or your loved one at this crucial time. They are easy to talk to & easy to reach. In our case, my loved one received an FI-1, and we couldn’t be happier with Gary & staff!
David P.