San Diego City Wire

San Diego County public defenders collaborated recently with the Baja Public Defender’s Office to conduct a two-day training program focusing on courtroom oral argument skills. The program, held in March, featured Public Defender Paul Rodriguez and his team acting as a panel of judges and advisors to a group of advanced Baja attorneys. The trained attorneys will, in turn, instruct other Baja attorneys.

Rodriguez also met with the Baja Public Defender, Maria Teresa Sierras Suquilvide, during this event. He expressed a shared commitment to the ongoing success of the partnership, stating, “We are both committed to ensuring the continued success of the collaboration.”

The training included evaluations of the Baja attorneys' presentations on subjects such as direct examination of witnesses and closing arguments. This was followed by simulated trials that provided the attorneys with a chance to work on opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, and closing arguments. Rodriguez, along with attorney Michael Ruiz and contract attorney Jesus Romero, offered constructive feedback on these exercises.

“They are certainly making positive strides and improving their skills every day,” Rodriguez observed. “They are all very prepared, professional and eager to provide a zealous defense on behalf of their clients. We are grateful for their collaboration.”

This bi-national training partnership is mutually beneficial. San Diego's Public Defender’s Office receives assistance from the Baja counterpart in locating vital information and documents required to defend their clients in the U.S., a necessity cited by Rodriguez due to the frequent need for case-related information from Mexico.

San Diego’s public defense team has been adapting to changes after Mexico's adoption of an adversarial judicial system, which involves a public forum with panel judges determining verdicts, contrary to its previous system of written submissions to judges in private.