Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal

Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian ProposalReforming Criminal Justice: A Christian ProposalReforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal
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Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal

Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian ProposalReforming Criminal Justice: A Christian ProposalReforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal
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Welcome

Reforming Criminal Justice

Reforming Criminal JusticeReforming Criminal JusticeReforming Criminal Justice

Matthew T. Martens

Ask Me

Matthew T. Martens

I'm a Christian. And I'm a lawyer. I've been a Christian for as a long as I can remember. I've been a lawyer for nearly 26 years, serving as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, a federal prosecutor, and a criminal defense attorney.

ABOUT ME

I am a Christian. I am a husband. I am a dad. I am a lawyer. I am a seminary graduate. And I am an author.


Fifty years ago, I was born into a Christian home. At the time, my dad was a college speech professor. My mom was an elementary school teacher. My dad would later become a pastor, serving at the same church in New Jersey for 36 years.


I graduated first in my class at the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1996. I then spent two years in Washington, DC serving as a law clerk for a federal court of appeals judge and then to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist at the US Supreme Court.


In the years that followed, I've worked both as a federal prosecutor (9 years) and as a criminal defense attorney (11 years). I've handled virtually every type of criminal case you can think of, including capital murder, securities fraud, drug trafficking, firearms violations, child pornography, mortgage fraud, voter fraud, and public corruption. Over the years, I have tried more than two dozen cases across the country both as a prosecutor and defense attorney. I am currently a partner in the Washington, DC office of one of the world's largest law firms.


During my years in private law practice, I have contributed a significant amount of my time to pro bono work, largely focused on religious liberty cases and criminal cases. I recently argued a criminal case in the Alabama Supreme Court. In 2020, I represented numerous churches in litigation challenging COVID church closure orders.


Along the way, I attended seminary part-time at Dallas Theological Seminary, graduating first in my class with a master's degree in biblical studies in 2010.


In 2021, I signed a contract with Crossway to publish a book on a topic that has long been of interest to me: how Christians should think about criminal justice. Friends had encouraged me over the years to write this book, but the murder of George Floyd served as the catalyst for me to finally put pen to paper. Lord willing, the book will be released in early 2023. The book's title is the title of this website -- Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal.


I currently live in northern Virginia with my wife of nearly 28 years and our youngest son. My two older children are in college at Furman University. We are members of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

9/19/2022

Taylor University

7pm

-

8:30pm

Upland, IN

Event Details

9/19/2022

Taylor University

Constitution Day Lecture

7pm

-

8:30pm

Upland, IN

9/12/2022

Christian Legal Aid of DC

7pm

-

8pm

Washington, DC

Event Details

9/12/2022

Christian Legal Aid of DC

Lecture

7pm

-

8pm

Washington, DC

May 25, 2022

Center for the Study of Bible & Violence

8am

-

10am

Bristol, UK

Event Details

May 25, 2022

Center for the Study of Bible & Violence

Healing and Harm: Intersections of Trauma, Justice, and Scripture


Invited speaker on criminal justice system

8am

-

10am

Bristol, UK

March 30, 2022

Grove City College: Institute for Faith & Freedom

7pm

-

8pm

Grove City, PA

Event Details

March 30, 2022

Grove City College: Institute for Faith & Freedom

Invited speaker on criminal sentencing

7pm

-

8pm

Grove City, PA

Why "Tough on Crime" is Neither Christian Nor Conservative

https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=ndjlepp_online

Prosecutorial immunity is un-American and immoral

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2022/05/22/prosecutorial-immunity-is-un-american-and-immoral/?outputType=amp

Christian Hope in Life After Life After Death

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/hope-life-death/

I told fellow believers our liberties would be protected in the pandemic. The court proved me wrong.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/28/closing-churches-is-grievous-burden-courts-should-not-impose-it-lightly/

Two Kinds of Sermons That Seem Expositional But Really Aren't

https://www.9marks.org/article/two-kinds-of-sermons-that-seem-expositional-but-really-arent/

How to Rein in the SEC

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-rein-in-the-sec-1433285747

Easter Hope

https://www.hudnutink.com/post/everything-is-broken-but-it-won-t-be-that-way-forever

Detail your services

If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.

Podcast Appearances

Uncommontary with Marty Duren - April 12, 2022

https://uncommontarypodcast.com/2022/04/12/matthew-martens-systemic-injustice-the-bible-and-the-us-system-ep96/

All Things with Jen Oshman - January 21, 2022

https://www.jenoshman.com/all-things-podcast/2022/1/18/episode-76-a-christian-perspective-on-our-criminal-justice-system

Pastoring in a Pandemic - May 26, 2020

https://www.9marks.org/message/pastoring-in-a-pandemic-episode-17-what-legal-rights-and-responsibilities-do-churches-have-during-a-pandemic-with-matt-martens/

Drive-in Churches and the Constitution - May 8, 2020

https://fedsoc.org/events/drive-in-churches-and-the-constitution-balancing-the-religious-belief-in-corporate-worship-and-health-concerns-related-to-covid-19

SERMONS

What Does It Mean to Be Human? - June 27, 2021

https://soundcloud.com/user-300848194/1-peter-11-2-2021-06-27-mathew-martens?utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing&utm_terms=block_background_listening_on_mobi.control

What Is The Meaning of Life? - December 2016

https://my.ekklesia360.com/Clients/player/videoplayer.php?sid=13123&url=http%3A%2F%2Fb1033ecbf0be9f1f78e0-9ff91644b80b1213b3e9d43ad0f0e963.r47.cf2.rackcdn.com%2Fuploaded%2F2%2F0e6810902_1512948907_2017-12-10pm.mp3&mediaBID=5346964&template=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.ekklesia360.com%2FClients%2Fplayer%2Fvideoplayer.php&module=sermon&content_id=1333243&type=sound&CMSCODE=EKK&skin=skin_plain.xml&CMS_LINK=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.ekklesia360.com&width=400&height=300&fullscreen&image&overrideImage=false&playlist=false&autostart=true&target=MediaPlayer&fbclid=IwAR1rG3LuQx25GhLuRPAj7K3zDqPDARpB8ahIAeUe3FCwmi2sq7vbYq34njs

IN The NEws

Ex-Wells Fargo Execs, OCC Face Off in Sales Practices Case

https://www.law360.com/articles/1421248/ex-wells-fargo-execs-occ-face-off-in-sales-practices-case

Federal Judge Skeptical of DC's Religious Restrictions for COVID

https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-skeptical-of-dcs-religious-restrictions-for-covid/

WilmerHale’s Matthew Martens on Religious Liberty, More Hours and 'Drowning in Email' During COVID

https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2020/04/23/wilmerhales-matthew-martens-on-religious-liberty-more-hours-and-drowning-in-email-during-covid-19/?slreturn=20220215211756

Judge Grant's Injunction Against Louisville Mayor, Allowing Drive-in Church on Easter

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/04/14/judgjudge-weighs-drive-though-church-servicese-weighs-drive-though-church-services/2993470001/

Judge Dismisses SEC Case Against Ken Paxton

https://www.texastribune.org/2016/10/07/judge-dismisses-sec-case-against-paxton/

Paxton picks former SEC lawyer to defend him

https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Paxton-picks-former-SEC-lawyer-to-defend-him-7974077.php

Martens, SEC's Top Litigator, Will Head to WilmerHale Law Firm

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304066404579125752915146332

"Fabulous Fab" Verdict is Vindication for SEC Lawyer

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sec-goldman-tourre/fabulous-fab-verdict-is-vindication-for-sec-lawyer-idUSBRE96G19720130804

SEC to Jurors: Don't follow Tourre to "land of make believe"

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-xpm-2013-07-30-sns-rt-us-sec-goldman-tourre-20130718-story.html

Trial of ex-Goldman trader about "Wall Street greed": SEC

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-goldmansachs-sec-tourre/trial-of-ex-goldman-trader-about-wall-street-greed-sec-idUSBRE96B00020130715

Arsenal of Legal Firepower Masses Around Tourre Trial

https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/arsenal-of-legal-firepower-masses-around-tourre-trial/

Photo Gallery

    @martensmatt1

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