Our guest speaker for Batten Hour this week was U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson for the Maryland District who presides over the busiest docket for federal misdemeanor charges in the country. Coulson said he is cautious in deciding whether to order a defendant detained before trial, knowing that detention increases the person’s chance of receiving a custodial sentence, a longer sentence, and recidivism. Among his considerations, Coulson assesses whether there are sufficient resources – such as family connections, drug treatment, community programs, mentorships – for the defendant to comply successfully with the terms of their release.
Coulson, who received his law degree from Duke University, was appointed a U.S. magistrate in 2014, and presides over initial felony proceedings including search warrants, initial appearances, arraignments and detention proceedings for individuals charged with violating federal law. He also teaches Civil Procedure and Advanced Trial Advocacy at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law.
Click the image for a YouTube recording of the event.
