A Progressive Approach to Criminal Justice | Ramin Fatehi (Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney)

"I tell my prosecutors that being a public defender was one of the most important things for my career as a prosecutor, even though I only did it briefly. And it's a reason why I have a strong preference for hiring former public defenders and defense lawyers in my office."

We sat down with Ramin Fatehi, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Norfolk, Virginia. From growing up in Iran to serving as a public defender in Richmond, Ramin now leads one of Virginia’s largest prosecutor’s offices.

In our conversation, we talk about:

• How socio-economic conditions like poverty and education shape crime
• Why empathy and reform matter in prosecution
• The importance of community-based prosecution and data-driven decision making
• How he trains his staff and balances the duty to enforce laws with addressing root causes of crime

Ramin shares candid insights into the policies and values that guide his office, and why he believes the future of prosecution must move beyond punishment to also include prevention and community trust.

It was a privilege having Ramin join us.

Courtroom Stories & Tactics | RVA Trial Lawyers
Available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and at RVATrialLawyers.com

Based out of Richmond, Virginia, Courtroom Stories & Tactics by RVA Trial Lawyers exists for lawyers who try cases to juries on behalf of people. Through our podcast, we hope to learn from them, support them, connect them, inspire them, and preserve their work for future trial lawyers.

If you are willing, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a 5-Star Google Review by clicking here. Your review will help people find us.

Thank you!

Sharif Gray and Nael Abouzaki