SMARTDRAW IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW:

Winning Cases with SmartDraw Charts and Exhibits

On Trial
Jeremiah S. Boehmer has been a self-employed paralegal and criminal defense investigator for 25 years. Working for an exclusive group of criminal defense attorneys, one of his duties is to investigate the underlying law enforcement's investigation. Boehmer is frequently charged with providing demonstrative exhibits that explain complex issues and/or events in his cases.

"I prepare exhibits and find clear and simple ways to put information in front of the judge and jury," said Boehmer. "I am often called to testify in order to lay a proper foundation for the charts I've prepared."

Boehmer had used Microsoft's Visio^® in the past, but he needed an easier way to make org charts, timelines, floor plans, accident reconstructions and other legal diagrams. He found what he needed in the SmartDraw Legal Edition.

The Winning Argument
Boehmer found that the SmartDraw Legal Edition was a quick study from the very beginning.

"SmartDraw is very fast and easy to use," said Boehmer. "I surprised myself with the quality, professional diagrams I could create in minutes."

The SmartDraw Legal Edition offers thousands of symbols that users can simply drag and drop on to hundreds of templates in a solution specialized for the legal community. The program comes loaded with easy features that allowed Boehmer to customize his own templates and symbols, which he could then use and reuse.

"I like that you can grab a shape, set all the format details including size, font, colors, borders, and save it as a symbol to use again and again," he said.

The SmartDraw Legal Edition also works hand-in-hand with Microsoft Office^® products such as PowerPoint^®, and with Sanction and other litigation support software. This existing integration makes it easy not only to present compelling evidence to juries and judges, but to share trial exhibits and other graphics with other legal professionals.

"I could see where SmartDraw would really help me simplify issues and events," said Boehmer. "From a simple organizational chart to a complicated timeline covering multiple events…it's all a mouse-click away."

Case Closed
Boehmer continues to use the SmartDraw Legal Edition wherever visual aids will clarify key elements of a case. He attributes the success of many cases—including one involving kidnapping, murder, and ransom—directly to diagrams created in SmartDraw.

"I used SmartDraw to prepare a chart of events where everything had to fit on a single page," said Boehmer. "We used this chart in our meeting with an assistant US attorney and several FBI agents. Within a week the government correctly dismissed all charges against our client."

Not only is it helping him win cases, SmartDraw is also raising his visibility among both clients and professional colleagues.

"I've had law enforcement agents, prosecutors, judges, clients, and defense attorneys alike praise my charts," he said.

The best part?

"SmartDraw makes me money," said Boehmer. "I charge for my time whether I'm interviewing a witness or making a chart. The attorneys I work for love my diagrams, and never complain about paying my bills."

To learn more about creating legal diagrams and more with the SmartDraw Legal Edition, and to download the free trial, visit www.smartdrawlegal.com.