Dave and Steve sit down with criminal defense attorney Mike Cunningham as part of their First Call to Final Verdict series. Board certified as a Criminal Trial Specialist through the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Mike has built his career defending constitutional rights in some of the highest-stakes criminal cases. While detectives and defense attorneys usually meet on opposite sides of the courtroom, this conversation offers a rare chance to sit down at the same table and talk openly about the system from different perspectives.

Together they explore how defense attorneys evaluate investigations, challenge evidence, and prepare to break a case in court. Mike explains what people often misunderstand about criminal defense, where investigations tend to be most vulnerable, and how the justice system balances truth, proof, and constitutional protections. From plea negotiations to courtroom strategy, the conversation pulls back the curtain and takes listeners inside the defense mind while showing the human side of the work on both sides of the system.

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