Ok, I am a lawyer. For three years in law school I was trained to turn my nose up at TV’s depiction of the criminal justice system. But I just can’t do it now. Props to Tony Soprano.
There I am in Court, fighting tooth and nail over a DUI case. I’ve poked holes in the prosecution’s case and now it comes out that the officer did not see the Defendant actually drive the car. So, as a last ditch effort the prosecution requests a continuance to subpoena the Defendant’s wife and get her to testify that the Defendant was driving.
As I am gearing up to make my arguments my client goes “They can’t do that! That spousal privilege!”
I looked at him with what must have been surprise…”How did you know that?”
“I saw it on an episode of the Sopranos. Tony, made his lieutenant marry his girl friend so she couldn’t turn state’s evidence because of spousal privileged.”
Go figure! Tony Soprano was right!
Luckily the Virginia legislature codified spousal privileged under Va. Code 19.2-271.2 so I didn’t not have to quote Tony Soprano to the judge. In the end the judge denied the continuance based on spousal privileged and the case was dropped. Thanks Tony!
Luke J. Nichols
