Historical Agreement: Mexico and US Public Defenders

In a historical event between Baja California and County of San Diego authorities, a cooperation agreement was signed by representatives of both public defender offices which will allow professional development for the benefit of the border communities.

The formal event took place on Wednesday February 17, 2015 at the Baja California State Government Office presided by the General Secretary for the State Government of Baja California FRANCISCO RUEDA GOMEZ accompanied by the head of the Department of the Public Defender for the County of San Diego HENRY C. COKER, the Liaison Sub-Secretary for Justice Matters Lizbeth Mata Lozano, the presiding assemblyman of the Justice Commission for the Baja California State Assembly Juan Manuel Molina Garcia and the Assistant Attorney General for the State of Baja California Justice Department Gilberto Cota Alanis.

Also present during the official act: the State Director of the Public Defender Jesus Alejandro Santos Diaz, the Trial Coordinator for the Baja California Public Defender Fernando Acevedo, the Chief Deputy for the County of San Diego Primary Public Defender Randy Mize, the Supervising Attorney for the Primary Public Defender Investigations Unit Jesus Romero, Investigations Unit representatives from each conflict office of the County of San Diego Public Defender: Ernie Lucero (PPD), Pascual Benitez (APD), and Ricardo Garcés (MCO).

La firma oficial

Historica Alianza Binacional: Defensorias Publicas de Mexico y EEUU

En un acto histórico entre autoridades de Baja California y el Condado de San Diego, los representantes de las defensorias públicas de ambas entidades firmaron un convenio de colaboración que permitirá el desarrollo profesional para beneficio de la comunidad fronteriza.

El evento se llevo a cabo el Miercoles 17 de febrero de 2015 en el Centro de Gobierno del Estado de Baja California presidido por el Secretario General de Gobierno FRANCISCO RUEDA GOMEZ y acompañado de el titular de la Defensoria Pública del Condado de San Diego HENRY C. COKER, la Sub-Secretaria de Enlace para Asuntos de Justicia Lizbeth Mata Lozano, el Presidente de la Comisión de Justicia del Congreso del Estado de Baja California Dip. Juan Manuel Molina Garcia y el Sub-Procurador General de Justicia del Estado de Baja California Gilberto Cota Alanis.

Tambien presentes durante el acto oficial: el Director Estatal de Defensoría Pública Jesus Alejandro Santos Diaz, el Coordinador de Juicios Orales de la Defensoría Pública de Baja California Fernando Acevedo, el Director de la Oficina Primaria de la Defensoría Pública de San Diego Randy Mize, el Director de Investigaciones de la Defensoría Pública de San Diego Jesus Romero, integrantes de la Unidades de Investigaciones de la Defensoría Pública de San Diego: Ernie Lucero (PPD), Pascual Benitez (APD), y Ricardo Garcés (MCO).

La firma oficial

International Trial Advocacy Conference

With great success and more than 300 attorneys and law students participated in the 1st International Trial Advocacy Conference which took place at the Grand Hotel-Tijuana between October 24 and 25.

International speakers and trial advocacy training instructors from different countries (Chile, Mexico, United States and Puerto Rico) touched on important topics related to the adversarial system and implemented workshops for attorneys and investigators.

The keynote speakers were:

Claudio Pavlic (Chile), Jesús Romero López (USA), Hon. María Elena Cruz (USA), Jose Silva Riollano (Puerto Rico), German Guillen López (Mexico), Michael Mandig (USA),  Carlos Varela (USA), Ricardo Garcés (USA/Mexico), Sergio Cuen Sandoval (Mexico) and Jose Cervantes Kirk (Mexico).

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Congreso Internacional del Juicio Oral

Con grán exito y con una asistencia mayor a 300 participantes entre abogados y alumnos de la carrera de derecho se llevo a cabo el 1er Congreso Internacional del Juicio Oral el pasado 24 y 25 de octubre en el Grand Hotel-Tijuana.

Exponentes de varios paises como Chile, Mexico, Estados Unidos, y Puerto Rico hablaron sobre temas relevantes al sistema adversarial y realizaron talleres de destrezas y métodos prácticos para abogados litigantes e investigadores.

Los exponentes fueron:

Dr. Claudio Pavlic, Lic. Jesús Romero López, Hon. María Elena Cruz, Lic. Jose Silva Riollano, Dr. German Guillen López, Lic. Michael Mandig, Lic. Carlos Varela, Lic. Ricardo Garcés, Mtro. Sergio Cuen Sandoval y Mtro. Jose Cervantes Kirk.

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Tijuana: Home of the 1st Trial Advocacy Convention in Mexico

Tijuana will be the center of attention in the country for 2 days as it hosts the first Trial Advocacy Convention in Mexico.

The convention called “CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL DEL JUICIO ORAL” (International Congress of Oral Trials) will take place at the Grand Hotel Tijuana on October 24 and 25 of 2014. The grand event, which is organized by PANTA REI and sponsored by PACCJO (Profesionales Asociados en Capacitacion y Consejeria en Juicios Orales) will have simultaneous workshops aimed at lawyers and law students that are interested in diverse topics related to trial advocacy.

If you are interested in obtaining more information about this event, you may contact the event organizers in Tijuana at (664) 306-0678.

Tijuana: Sede del 1er Congreso sobre Juicios Orales

Tijuana sera la sede del primer congreso internacional de juicios orales donde se reunen en un solo lugar durante 2 dias completos los capacitatores e instructores mas experimentados en la materia.

Durante el proximo 24 y 25 de octubre de 2014 se llevara a cabo en el Gran Hotel Tijuana el “Congreso Internacional del Juicio Oral” que va dirigido a todos los abogados en la Republica Mexicana.  El magno evento esta organizado por PANTA REI Asociados en Capacitacion, Formacion y Asesoria, S.C. y PACCJO (Profesionales Asociados en Capacitacion y Consejeria de Juicios Orales).

El objetivo del evento es fortalecer los conocimientos de los abogados y estudiantes a traves de talleres simultaenos en diversos topicos relativos al sistema acusatorio.

Para mayores informes pueden comunicarse en Tijuana al (664)306-0678.

 

National Code of Criminal Procedure to Commence November 2014

After the enactment and publication in the federal official gazette in March of this year (2014), the National Code of Criminal Procedure will be implemented earlier than anticipated in 2 states of Mexico.

Officials from the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and Secretariat of the Interior signed into effect the new code of criminal procedure beginning on November 24, 2014 with the states of Durango and Puebla.  This new national law will not only supplant the traditional inquisitorial system of criminal justice (which introduces several principles of law that are familiar in the adversarial systems), but also will allow uniform practices throughout all 32 entities in the Republic of Mexico.

Prior to the national reform, Mexico had 32 different codes of criminal procedure (state and federal) which cultivated many injustices and impunity.  For instance, it allowed some criminals to choose the least harmful forum in which they could commit unlawful acts.  Other times it made it unfair that a crime committed by one person in one state would not have the same treatment as another who committed the same offense in another state or federal level.

Following is the schedule of implementation by phases:

1st Phase: Durango and Puebla

2nd Phase: Yucatan and Zacatecas

3rd Phase: Baja California

4th Phase: San Luis Potosi, Guanajuate, Queretaro and Morelos

5th Phase: All other states starting in January of 2016.

 

Nombramiento de Jueces en San Diego

El miercoles 16 de julio el Gobernador de California, Jerry Brown Jr., nombró a 2 fiscales y 2 defensores públicos como jueces del fuero común en el Condado de San Diego.  Los nombramientos son para Lic. Enrique E. Camarena, Lic. Daniel F. Link, Lic. Selena D. Epley y Lic. Matthew C. Braner. El ahora Juez Camarena fué Agente del Ministerio Público en el Condado de San Diego (Deputy District Attorney) desde 1999.  Link fue tambien fiscal desde 2001 y ex-presidente del colegio de abogados en la localidad (San Diego County Bar Association).  Epley y Braner tuvieron una excelente trayectoria como abogados litigantes y formaron parte de la Defensoría Pública del Condado de San Diego.

New Federal Judges awaiting Appointment in Mexico

The Federal Judicial Council of Mexico (Consejo de la Judicatura Federal -CJF) opened the process to select district court judges in its federal circuit system.  The candidates must posses experience and be knowledgeable of the new adversarial trial system which must operate in all of Mexico by 2016.

There are 50 vacancies for district court judges, which must be filled between August and November of 2014.