Moving on

Lance Jacot, 35, tells me that April 2 will be his last day as a San Joaquin County Deputy Public Defender. He’s going to open a solo practice after 10 years working for the county. He won’t be too far away, saying he has an office lined up downtown between the court house and Public Defender’s Office. He will continue to practice criminal defense.

He’s already earned a reputation for taking tough murder cases, and lots of them. Last, he represented Joel Ladon Lewis, the lead defendant of two found guilty of murdering a federal correctional officer leaving home for work on morning. He recently defended Brian Payne, sent to prison for murdering his wife in broad daylight.

Just today Lance convinced a judge to toss out a robbery case in mid trial after the prosecution failed to show he had enough evidence. That’s rare and quite a way to end his stint with the Public Defender’s Office.