If you want to know what goes on behind the scenes when determining where your day in court will actually happen, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Welcome back to Lawyer Talk, where I tackle your legal questions with straight talk and real answers.

In this episode, I take on a question that comes up more often than you might think—where should a criminal trial actually be held?

A listener wrote in asking if you can be charged and brought to trial in a different county or district from where the crime supposedly happened. I dig into the concept of “venue” and explain how the law decides the proper place for a trial, using examples from my own practice—like high-speed chases that cross county lines or cases of theft that span multiple jurisdictions.

I’ll also break down just how hard it is to get a change of venue, what it really takes to convince a judge to move your case, and the role of special prosecutors and visiting judges when local bias might be an issue.

Here are 3 key takeaways for anyone interested in law, criminal justice, or just legal curiosities:

1. Venue matters—and it’s usually where the crime happened. Most criminal cases are tried in the county where the alleged crime took place. However, things get complicated with crimes that cross county lines or involve multiple jurisdictions.
2. Changing the location isn’t easy. Despite popular belief, you can’t just move your trial to a different county without strong evidence. The bar is set high: you’ll need to show it’s impossible to get a fair trial due to local bias or overwhelming media coverage.
3. Special scenarios require creative solutions. Sometimes, when there’s potential for local conflicts of interest, courts bring in outside prosecutors or visiting judges—or in rare cases, move the trial to another location entirely.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

If you’ve ever wondered who really makes the rules, why legal definitions never seem absolute, or how law adapts to fit a changing society, you’ll want to stick around for this discussion.

Welcome back to Lawyer Talk! In this episode, I’m tackling a question I hear all the time: what’s the real difference between laws, statutes, and “black robe law”—that case law everyone loves to debate?

This all started with a pointed listener comment, and I thought it was the perfect jumping-off point for a deep dive into how our legal system actually works.

I’ll walk you through the evolution from medieval common law to today’s complex tangle of statutory and constitutional law. I explain how, no matter how carefully legislators try to craft statutes, lawyers like me push the boundaries, and judges interpret and refine what those words really mean.

We’ll also look at how the Constitution acts as the ultimate backstop, shaping everything beneath it.

Here are 3 key takeaways from the episode:

1. Case Law Shapes Statutes: Statutory law (what Congress or state legislatures write) doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Courts interpret and apply these statutes in real-world situations, creating “common law” or case law, which guides future cases and fills in the gaps left by legislators.
2. The Constitution Rules All: Whether a law comes from Congress or the courts, it’s always subject to the U.S. Constitution. If a statute or a court’s decision clashes with constitutional principles, it’s the courts’ role to step in and say, “Not allowed.”
3. The Law Evolves with Society: Our legal system is dynamic. Steve Palmer points out that the “awesome process” of evolving case law helps society adapt to new challenges, even when statutes lag behind.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

If you’re curious about how evidence is handled, how the system balances the rights of the accused and the challenges faced by victims, or you just want to understand the nuts and bolts of courtroom testimony, this episode is for you.

Welcome back to Lawyer Talk. I’m Steve Palmer, and in this episode, I’m digging into a question that really seems to bug people—can someone actually be convicted based solely on another person’s accusation, especially in tough cases like sexual assault?

With my years of trial and appellate experience, I've seen firsthand just how complicated the rules of hearsay can get in the courtroom.

In this episode, I break down exactly what hearsay is, why it matters, and how certain exceptions—like excited utterances and statements made for medical diagnoses—come into play, especially in sexual assault cases.

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about whether hearsay rules apply in these sensitive cases. I’ll clear things up by explaining how the rules usually work, why they’re still in force, and when the law might allow some extra statements to come in as evidence.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

1. Hearsay rules still apply: Even in sexual assault cases (including those involving children), the standard hearsay rules must be followed. There are no broad exceptions—any out-of-court statement being offered for its truth is subject to scrutiny.
2. Special exceptions can apply: Courts frequently admit statements as “excited utterances” (statements made while the speaker is still under stress from the event) or as part of medical diagnosis/treatment, especially during SANE exams or forensic interviews.
3. States may offer more leeway: Some jurisdictions create specific hearsay exceptions for sexual assault—sometimes allowing certain statements that wouldn’t be admitted in other types of cases, but it remains a nuanced and complex area that requires careful case-by-case evaluation.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

If you’re curious about how AI is changing criminal defense, attorney-client relationships, and the law itself, you’ll want to listen in.

I’m Steve Palmer, and I’m digging into a topic that’s becoming increasingly important in the legal world—"AI is NOT Your Attorney."

In this episode, I start by reflecting on a classic lesson from law school: a lawyer isn’t a bus, and now, more than ever, a lawyer isn’t a robot either. That idea sets the stage as I walk you through a recent case out of New York—United States vs. Heppner—where the defendant used AI to analyze his legal defense.

The government seized those AI-generated results and saw them as a strategic goldmine, raising big questions about attorney-client privilege in our high-tech age.

I break down why plugging legal advice into AI isn’t protected by privilege—once you enter that information into a digital system, you might be waiving your rights to confidentiality.

From Zoom recordings to AI transcription tools, these digital conveniences can easily erode the protection clients expect.

I share practical advice for lawyers and clients on safeguarding privilege in a tech-driven landscape, and offer my thoughts on the legal precedents just beginning to take shape.

Remember, I’m not giving legal advice here—just sharing insights and real talk on today’s pressing legal challenges.

3 Key Takeaways:

1. AI is Not Privileged: Plugging sensitive legal information into AI tools—even for personal analysis—can destroy attorney-client privilege. AI is a third party, just like any non-lawyer in the room.
2. Old Rules, New Tech: Courts are applying existing privilege rules to AI, meaning that any communication shared with or processed by AI platforms could be discoverable by opposing counsel or the government.
3. Be Ultra-Cautious: Lawyers and clients must be careful with technology in legal settings. From transcription devices to Zoom recordings with disclaimers—if a third-party tool is present, privilege may be lost.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

This episode will have you rethinking the boundaries of attorney-client relationships.

Steve Palmer and Troy tackle a listener follow-up that blurs the lines between legal advice, ethical dilemmas, and real-world drama. Prompted by an actual late-night client question, they dig into the complexities of attorney-client privilege—especially when the lawyer suddenly finds themselves not just the advisor, but the victim of the client’s misadventure.

The scenario gets juicy: imagine you're a lawyer who gets a call from a client confessing to sideswiping several cars after a night out—only to later discover your own car was one of the casualties.

Steve Palmer walks through how he'd handle this wild conflict of interest, why he'd have to recuse himself, and the ethical landmines he’d navigate (including a call to his own ethics lawyer).

The conversation spirals into pop culture, referencing legal thrillers and the kind of movie-worthy quandaries lawyers hope they’ll never actually face.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

1. Conflicts of Interest Are Inevitable: Sometimes your professional and personal lives collide—literally. When you become both the victim and the advisor, you must recognize and address conflicts of interest head-on.
2. Client Confidentiality Remains Supreme: Even when faced with personal loss, what you learn through privileged communication as an attorney stays confidential. That duty doesn’t change while you figure out your next steps.
3. Seek Guidance (Even as a Lawyer!): When in doubt, reach out. Consulting with an ethics lawyer is a smart move when confronted with a unique ethical quandary.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

Whether you're curious about your own rights when talking to a lawyer or you're just fascinated by what happens behind the legal curtain, this episode offers clarity, expert perspective, and a few laughs along the way.

Steve Palmer is joined by Troy as they take another deep dive into the realities of the attorney-client relationship—specifically, the complexities and critical importance of attorney-client privilege.

Kicking things off with a real client question, Steve Palmer unpacks the layers of confidentiality that protect not only current clients, but prospective ones as well—even if those conversations happen long before anyone signs a formal agreement.

From practical war stories to classic law school hypotheticals, Steve Palmer and Troy explore what counts as privileged communication, why this standard is so much stricter than in other professions like accounting, and what actually happens when privilege gets breached.

You'll also hear how attorneys handle client confessions, unexpected ethical challenges, and those late-night calls for help, along with smart strategies for navigating these tricky waters.

3 Key Takeaways:

1. Privilege starts before you're a client: Communications with a lawyer—even as a prospective client—are protected by attorney-client privilege. You don’t need a signed agreement for your discussions to remain confidential.
2. Accountants aren’t so lucky: Unlike lawyers, accountants and most other professionals don’t have the same privilege protections. Information you share with your accountant can be forced into the open.
3. There are limits and exceptions: While lawyers must protect client confidences, some rare exceptions exist (think imminent harm). Still, violating privilege usually leads to discipline for the lawyer, not an escape route for the client.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

Whether you’re a lawyer, law student, or just fascinated by the drama of the courtroom, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on what it really means to seek the truth in our justice system.

Steve Palmer talks about one of the cornerstones of our criminal justice system: the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment.

Drawing on everything from biblical proverbs to legendary legal scholars, he explores why the right to confront your accuser in court is so vital to seeking the truth. Steve Palmer breaks down not just the legal mechanics of cross-examination, but also the strategic thinking behind it—explaining why the adversarial system is designed to bring out both sides of the story, and how human nature often tilts both prosecutors and defense lawyers toward “winning” more than pure justice.

You’ll hear compelling anecdotes from the courtroom, real-life examples of how cross-examination can reshape a case, and practical advice for anyone interested in trial law.

Whether you’re a lawyer, law student, or just fascinated by the drama of the courtroom, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on what it really means to seek the truth in our justice system.

Key Takeaways:

1. Cross-Examination is Critical: As John Henry Wigmore coined, “cross-examination is the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of the truth.” It’s not just about being tough; it’s about bringing out facts the opposing side might leave out—intentionally or not.
2. Prosecutors Aren’t Always Objective: The system incentivizes prosecutors to present their side in the best light—which means some facts may never surface unless the defense presses for them. As discussed, it's not unusual for important evidence to be withheld, sometimes by the police, sometimes by prosecutors themselves.
3. Fairness Demands Adversarial Balance: Our courtrooms are built on the idea that each side brings out their best case, and only by challenging one another do we get close to the truth. If you don’t have the right to confront your accuser, you leave justice up to the whims of one party.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com

If you’re curious about how discovery shapes criminal cases, and the behind-the-scenes work that defense attorneys do, you’re in for an insightful listen!

Steve Palmer and Troy talk about one of the most fascinating—and sometimes overlooked—aspects of criminal defense: discovery and what actually gets shared with clients. Building on a follow-up question from their producer, the conversation explores how witness statements and other critical evidence were handled under Ohio’s old rules, and how things have changed with modern “open discovery.”

You’ll hear firsthand accounts from Steve Palmer about the challenges of defending a client when you don’t know what a witness might say until they take the stand, and the clever strategies lawyers had to use just to access basic information.

The episode also uncovers the real history behind concerns for witness safety, from the days of the mob to today’s balancing act between transparency and protection.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Discovery rules have evolved: Steve Palmer recalls that, in the 1990s, Ohio lawyers didn’t receive witness statements until after testimony at trial—making thorough prep nearly impossible. Today, thanks to open discovery, defense attorneys can learn the evidence against their clients in advance.
2. Balancing transparency and safety: The push for more open discovery (like sharing witness names and addresses) was historically met with worries over witness safety—especially during the mob era. But effective legal defense hinges on access to this information.
3. Duty to investigate: Citing cases like Strickland v. Washington, Steve Palmer emphasizes that lawyers have a duty to interview witnesses. This means modern discovery rules not only help lawyers but are pivotal for fair trials.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

Mentioned in this episode:

Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com