James Andrew Castle Denver, Colorado
| phone | (303) 675-0500 |
| fax | (303) 329-5500 |
| Email Me | |
Jim has tried over 130 jury trials and has handled the defense of over 50 First Degree Murder prosecutions. Jim has handled the successful defense of seven death penalty cases including the case of People v. Donta Page (where the Court admitted defense tendered PET scan evidence for the first time in the nation. It was the only unanimous life verdict handed down by a 3 judge panel in the history of judicial death sentencing).
Jim was lead counsel for Momcilo Perisic, Chief of Staff in the Army of Yugoslavia in the second largest international criminal prosecution in history and has also represented the National Football League, the Colorado Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel and members of the American Indian Movement.
Jim has been named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in both 2008 and 2009 and been named one of the Top 100 Trial lawyers by the American Trial lawyer's Association for 2008-2009. Jim has received the highest individual award given by the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar "for remarkable personal sacrifice made without regards to personal gain in the defense of the accused." Jim has received the highest individual award given by the Denver Bar Association for volunteer attorney activities.
Jim has handled cases that have become the subject of documentaries produced by the BBC, the Discovery Channel and 48 Hours. He has been a nationally recognized expert in criminal defense and has been a guest commentator for CNN, CNBC, Fox News and the New York Times as well as local television stations and newspapers.
- Bar Admissions:
- Colorado, 1984
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 2002
- Education:
- University of Denver College of Law, Denver, Colorado,
1984
J.D.
Honors: Barristers Cup Fellow - Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania,
1981
B.A.
Major: Economics
- Published Works:
- Colorado Rules of Evidence: Using the Rules to Win Cases, Colo. Public Def. Annual Conf., 1991
- Jury Nullification, Trial Talk, April, 1992
- Jury Nullification, Florida Trial Lawyers Journal, September, 1992
- Alternate Suspect Defense, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1997
- Voir Dire, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1998
- Closing Arguments, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1999
- Opening Statements, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2000
- Cross Examination of the Informant Witness, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2001
- Motions Practice: Strategies and Unconventional Use, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2000
- Motions Practice: Strategies and Unconventional Use, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2002
- Mental Health Issues, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2003
- Creative Use of the Rules of Evidence, 2004
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Alternative Suspect Defense, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1997
- Voir Dire, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1998
- Closing Arguments, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1999
- Opening Statements, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2000
- Cross Examination of the Informant Witness, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2000
- Motion Practice: Strategies and Unconventional Use, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2000
- Motion Practice: Strategies and Unconventional Use, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2001
- Death Penalty Law, University of Denver School of Law, 2001
- Motion Practice: Strategies and Unconventional Use, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2002
- Mental Health Issues, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2003
- Creative Use of the Rules of Evidence, 2004
- Brain Damage & Mitigation in Death Penalty Cases, 2004
- Presenter, International Criminal Court, Alfred Arraj American Inn of Court, 2005
- Presenter, International Criminal Tribunals, Annual Conference of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2005
- Regular Lecturer, Colorado Public Defender Trian Practice Training Lectures
- International Criminal Tribunals, Colorado Bar Association, International Law Section, 2006
- International Criminal Defense, Arraj Inns of Court, 2008
- International Criminal Defense, University of Colorado School of Law
- Honors and Awards:
- American Trial Lawyers Association- Top 100 Trial Lawyers- 2008, 2009
- Best Lawyers in America, 2008 - 2009
- Jonathan Olom Award, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2001
- President's Award, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2003
- Volunteer Lawyer of the Year Award, Denver Bar Association, 2005
- AV Rated Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2002 - 2003
- President
- Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1998 - Present
- Board Member
- Colorado Bar Association
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1992 - Present
- International Criminal Defense Bar, 2004 - Present
- International Criminal Defense Attorney's Association
- Faculty of Federal Advocates
- District of Colorado Federal Criminal Justice Act
- Panel Attorney, Death Penalty Panel
- Catholic Lawyers Guild
- International Criminal Court
- Provisional Counsel
- Association of Defense Counsel for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
- Past Employment Positions:
- Denver, Salida (Office Head) and Golden Regional (Senior attorney) Offices, Colorado State Public Defender, 1989 - 1992
