05/25/2025
Please join us for our next dynamic Family Advocacy Forum Town Hall Meeting via Zoom. Please register to attend and feel free to share with your friends, family, colleagues, and networks.
Your Constitutional and Legal Rights, Victims Services, and Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Advisement
Presenter: Vernon Z. Chestnut, Esq.,
Top Criminal Defense Attorney
The Law Office of Vernon Z. Chestnut, LLC
Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 6:00 PM [via Zoom]
Criminal Defense Attorney Vernon Z. Chestnut, Esq., was employed as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia (PA) for 10 years,
trying violent crime cases, rapes, and homicides. In 2004, after much prayer, he opened a law firm specializing in criminal defense and
personal injury litigation. His firm is now approaching its 20th year in operation.
Forum Presentation and Discussion -
[1] Affirmative Defenses in Criminal Trials (Local, Regional,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Federal Levels);
[2] Choosing the best defense for Pre-Trials, Trials, Appeals, etc.;
[3] Gathering solid evidence to support defense arguments, maintain
confidentiality, and keep a low profile;
[4] Presenting the evidence and defense theory effectively, taking the
Lawyer’s lead, and mitigating unexpectedness;
[5] Knowing when and how defenses apply (Self-Defense, Duress,
Entrapment, Insanity, Intoxication, Priors, etc.);
[6] Commonwealth Court Juries, Grand Juries (FBI, DEA, IRS, etc.)
[7] Charges (Robbery, Burglary, Fraud, Assault, Drugs, DUI, etc.);
[8] Constitutional Rights, Self-Incrimination, Pleadings, Questions by
Police, Searches and Seizures, Warrants, etc.; and
[9] Other critical items, issues, trends, and upcoming situations,
important and necessary to know for balanced and unbalanced scales (i.e., tipped scales).
Zoom Highlights and Participant Protection Principles -
1. Zoom participants have attorney-client privilege and can be anonymous
2. Victims and Defendants will understand their status and options
3. Differences between skilled Criminal Defense Lawyers versus being
assigned to the Public Defenders’ Association or defending
yourself in any court of law
4. Victims understanding their rights and relief under the law
5. Perpetrators understand being criminally liable, libel, and responsible
6. Principles, trends, and processes for expungement of criminal records
7. National Issues, Local Trends, and Current Reflections
8. Next Steps: Resources, Contacts, and Getting Legal Representation
9. Q&A, Interactive Session
[Zoom Forum - Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 6 PM – Register via the Link or QR Code]
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/wxKimyxETPqxdxxt7k5QrA