Craig Platt
Encyclopedia
Craig Platt is a criminal defense attorney who practices law in Washington State, particularly in the Puget Sound
region.
from Stanford Law School
in 1981. Since being admitted to practice, Platt has worked on thousands of cases and has held a variety of positions. Following his graduation from Stanford Law School
, Platt immediately began practicing civil law
while working for large law firm
s in Chicago
, Los Angeles
, and Seattle. Eventually, Platt accepted an offer to serve as the chief prosecutor
for the Attorney General
’s Office in Saipan
where he represented the government in major cases including several involving the Japanese mafia otherwise known as the Yakuza
.
Throughout his career Platt has aimed to serve his community and the legal profession. In 1990, Platt formed the first legal practice in Washington State’s Island County dedicated to public defense and continued to work as a public defender
for 15 years thereafter. Furthermore, Platt has previously utilized his expertise to enhance local public education by teaching law and managing moot court
programs for middle and high schools. Additionally, Platt has served as the president of the Washington Defender Association.
, Platt has undertaken several high-profile criminal defense cases including Washington State v. Margaret Wolff. Wolff, a resident of Oak Harbor, Washington
, was accused of murdering her son-in-law in the early 1990s, but was acquitted after Platt successfully convinced a jury of Wolff’s innocence. Platt has also handled several other prominent murder
cases including Washington State v. James Sanders and Washington State v. James Alexander. Additionally, Platt has worked on high-profile vehicular homicide
cases and has even tailored creative arguments challenging the accuracy of crime lab
oratories..
In 2011, Platt undertook to represent former Ms. Washington, Peggy Sue Thomas, who was charged with first degree murder.
as the senior partner at his new firm Platt & Buescher. Platt is revered as an aggressive and passionate criminal defense specialist, but also has extensive experience in other areas of law including civil litigation. Additionally, Avvo
currently gives Platt a perfect 10.0 out of 10.0 rating. Platt’s law firm, Platt & Buescher, has two locations including an office in Seattle, Washington
and another in Coupeville, Washington
.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
region.
Background
Craig Platt received his Juris DoctorJuris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
in 1981. Since being admitted to practice, Platt has worked on thousands of cases and has held a variety of positions. Following his graduation from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
, Platt immediately began practicing civil law
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
while working for large law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
s in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and Seattle. Eventually, Platt accepted an offer to serve as the chief prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
for the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
’s Office in Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
where he represented the government in major cases including several involving the Japanese mafia otherwise known as the Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
.
Throughout his career Platt has aimed to serve his community and the legal profession. In 1990, Platt formed the first legal practice in Washington State’s Island County dedicated to public defense and continued to work as a public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
for 15 years thereafter. Furthermore, Platt has previously utilized his expertise to enhance local public education by teaching law and managing moot court
Moot court
A moot court is an extracurricular activity at many law schools in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a...
programs for middle and high schools. Additionally, Platt has served as the president of the Washington Defender Association.
High Profile Cases
Aside from prosecuting members of the YakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
, Platt has undertaken several high-profile criminal defense cases including Washington State v. Margaret Wolff. Wolff, a resident of Oak Harbor, Washington
Oak Harbor, Washington
Oak Harbor is a city located on Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington. The population was 22,075 at the 2010 census.Oak Harbor was incorporated on May 14, 1915.-History:Oak Harbor is Whidbey Island's largest incorporated city...
, was accused of murdering her son-in-law in the early 1990s, but was acquitted after Platt successfully convinced a jury of Wolff’s innocence. Platt has also handled several other prominent murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
cases including Washington State v. James Sanders and Washington State v. James Alexander. Additionally, Platt has worked on high-profile vehicular homicide
Vehicular homicide
Vehicular homicide in most states in the United States, is a crime. In general, it involves death that results from the negligent operation of a vehicle, or more so a result from driving while committing an unlawful act that does not amount to a felony...
cases and has even tailored creative arguments challenging the accuracy of crime lab
Crime Lab
A crime laboratory - often shortened to crime lab - is a scientific laboratory, using primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases.- Lab personnel :A typical crime lab has two sets of personnel:...
oratories..
In 2011, Platt undertook to represent former Ms. Washington, Peggy Sue Thomas, who was charged with first degree murder.
Current Practice
Since 2006 Platt has been engaged in private practice of lawPractice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
as the senior partner at his new firm Platt & Buescher. Platt is revered as an aggressive and passionate criminal defense specialist, but also has extensive experience in other areas of law including civil litigation. Additionally, Avvo
Avvo
Avvo.com is an expert-only Q&A forum where people can ask legal and health questions of lawyers and doctors, for free. The Q&A forum is backed by an online directory of doctors and lawyers licensed in the United States. Avvo provides listings to which doctors and attorneys can submit their own...
currently gives Platt a perfect 10.0 out of 10.0 rating. Platt’s law firm, Platt & Buescher, has two locations including an office in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and another in Coupeville, Washington
Coupeville, Washington
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,723 people, 737 households, and 426 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,346.7 people per square mile . There were 814 housing units at an average density of 636.2 per square mile...
.
External links
- http://www.plattbuescher.com/
- http://thestanfordlawyer.blogspot.com/
- http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/98239-wa-craig-platt-12612/aboutme.html
- http://www.linkedin.com/pub/craig-platt/5/478/935
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=139986229361568#!/pages/Coupeville-WA/thestanfordlawyercom-Platt-Buescher/139986229361568?v=wall&ref=sgm&__a=21&ajaxpipe=1