Stroudsburg, PA – On April 26, 2013, Stroudsburg lawyer James A. Swetz was elected President of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers at the Annual Meeting of the Association in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The mission of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) is to ensure due process for criminal defendants, compassion for witnesses and victims of crime and just punishment for the guilty. In addition to its primary mission, PACDL conducts continuing legal education for lawyers and education programs for the public about criminal justice and the Bill of Rights.
“The greatest protection we have against governmental tyranny is the jury system protected by a right to counsel.” Swetz said. “On the 50 Court’s decision in Gideon v. Wainwright guaranteeing that everyone should have counsel regardless of resources, unpopularity, or the seriousness of the accusation pending against them, I am humbled by the confidence my peers have expressed in choosing me to lead PACDL.”
During his career, Swetz has defended many high profile criminal cases in state and federal courts throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Swetz is a native of Yonkers, New York and a cum laude graduate of the Villanova University School of Law where he was an editor of the law review. He is a founding member of Cramer, Swetz & McManus, P.C., one of Monroe County’s largest law firms. Swetz has been listed in Philadelphia Magazine as one of Pennsylvania’s top criminal defense lawyers in 2007 and 2009-2012. Swetz is Board Certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy and Civil Pretrial and Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has also served on the Lawyers’ Advisory Committee to the Judges of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Pennsylvania and Florida Bars.
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