Trauma Informed Defense

Criminal defense is not just a job. It is a practice that demands we understand people, embrace complexity, and see human beings where the system sees defendants. For more than 30 years, Ernest Stone has defended the accused in Massachusetts courtrooms, and outside them, through writing, speaking, and teaching that challenge practitioners to do this work better. This page collects his published work, media appearances, and presentations.

Article

4 Tactics for Criminal Defense Attorneys Representing Traumatized Clients

Published in the New York Law Journal, this article examines why trauma-informed practice is not optional for criminal defense attorneys — and what it looks like in the courtroom and the client relationship.
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Article

Trauma-Informed Criminal Defense: How We Do It Is As Important As What We Do

H. Ernest Stone
Most writing about criminal defense focuses on tools and tactics. This article argues that understanding what your client has experienced — and how trauma shapes their behavior, memory, and communication — is not optional enrichment. It is the work.
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Podcast interview

Everyday Injustice Podcast: Trauma-Informed Criminal Defense

Everyday Injustice
Attorney Stone joined the Everyday Injustice podcast to discuss trauma-informed criminal defense — how understanding a client's trauma changes the way a defense attorney prepares, communicates, and advocates.
Watch the Interview