"Any prior record at all? Juvenile charges, anything sealed that might come up?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
"And the other parties, the men who were harassing him? Were they arrested too or just your friend?"
"I don't know. Jay didn't say and I didn't think to ask."
"That's something I'd need to find out immediately. If they were charged too, that could work significantly in our favor. It shows the police saw your friend as the victim who fought back in self-defense, not as the aggressor." She pauses. "What's your friend's financial situation? Can he afford representation?"
"It's not good." I take a breath. "He works at a motorcycle shop. Barely makes enough to cover his rent and food. He definitely can't afford a lawyer." I swallow hard. "But I might be able to."
"Does he know you're calling me right now? Is he aware you're looking into legal representation for him?"
"No. Not yet."
Patricia is quiet again, longer this time. I can almost hear her weighing this information, deciding what to say.
"I'm going to be completely honest with you," she says finally. "Cases like this with a first offense, self-defense claim, bar fight situation, they're usually very manageable with proper legal representation. With a good attorney who knows the system, I'd expect to get the assault charges reduced to something minor like disorderly conduct, maybe evendismissed entirely if we can establish clearly that he was defending himself. Without representation, he's completely at the mercy of whatever the prosecutor decides to push for."
"What's the difference? In practical terms?"
"Could be the difference between paying a small fine and doing some community service versus a permanent misdemeanor conviction for assault that shows up on every single background check for the rest of his life." She lets that sink in. "Every job application, every housing application, it'll be there. Following him. Limiting his options."
"Jesus." My stomach drops.
"My retainer is fifteen hundred dollars," Patricia continues. "And it's non-negotiable. That covers the initial consultation with your friend, my appearance at his court date, and basic representation through the resolution of the case. If it somehow goes to trial, which I honestly doubt it will, we'd need to discuss additional fees. But most of these cases get resolved through negotiation with the prosecutor before trial."
Fifteen hundred dollars.
Fuck, that's a lot of money. It took me forever to save that much, but I have it.
And Jay is worth it.
"I want to hire you," I say decisively. "I can put the retainer down."
"That's fine, but I need to be absolutely clear about something first. I cannot represent someone who doesn't want to be represented. Your friend needs to agree to this. He needs to call me himself, sign the paperwork, meet with me, be an active participant in his own defense. I can't help someone who doesn't want help, no matter how much you care about them."
"I understand completely. I'll talk to him tonight. I'll explain everything and I'll make sure he understands this is his choice."
"Good. If he agrees, have him call me tomorrow. As soon as possible, given the tight timeline. We'll set up a consultation for later this week and go from there." She gives me her direct line and an email address. "What's your friend's name?"
"Jay Morrow."
"And your name?"
"Ivan Collins."
"Alright, Ivan. I'll be waiting to hear from Jay tomorrow. And for what it's worth, it's good that he has someone in his corner who cares this much. A lot of people in his situation don't have anyone. They're completely alone. That makes a difference, more than you might think."
"He's worth fighting for."
"I hope so. Talk to you soon."
I hang up and then pull up my banking app. I transfer fifteen hundred dollars from savings to checking. The number in my savings account drops, and I feel a momentary pang. But this is what it's for. Nothing could be more important.
I'll pay the retainer as soon as Jay agrees.
If Jay agrees.
