About this episode

The episode discusses the wrongful conviction of Donald Clark and the legal malpractice case against his public defender.

GTP hosts Steve Lowery and Yvonne Godfrey delve into the riveting case of Donald Clark vs. the State of Iowa with guest Mel Orchard from the Spence Law Firm. They explore the wrongful conviction of Donald Clark, a school counselor accused of sexual assault in 2009, and the subsequent legal malpractice case against his public defender for inadequate representation. The discussion highlights the significant emotional and physical toll on Clark during his six and a half years in prison, the courtroom strategies employed, and the eventual $12 million verdict for emotional distress. Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here to Rate and Review Case Details: The case revolves around a legal malpractice action against a state public defender, who represented a client convicted of sexual abuse. The client, Donald Lyle Clark, was convicted and sentenced to prison. The conviction was affirmed on appeal. However, in postconviction proceedings, the court determined that Clark's defense counsel had provided ineffective assistance and ordered a new trial. The state declined to prosecute, and Clark filed a civil action for legal malpractice against the state as the lawyer’s employer…

People in this episode

Hosts: Steve Lowery, Yvonne Godfrey

Guest: Mel Orchard

Topics covered

• wrongful conviction
• legal malpractice
• emotional distress
• courtroom strategies
• sexual assault
• public defender

Keywords

• Donald Clark
• legal malpractice
• wrongful conviction
• emotional distress
• public defender
• courtroom strategies
• sexual assault

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: State of Iowa, Spence Law Firm

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