“Lawyers should enjoy David’s narrative of a client whose life is slowly revealed in such a way that it draws David into a focused curiosity about the origins of human violence. The book develops as an unfolding detective mystery. For non-lawyers, the book exemplifies the work of defense attorneys who, while unlikely to appear in television dramas, help secure America’s traditions of justice. Non-lawyers will be challenged to understand and endorse the work of legal representation, including representation of “reprehensible” individuals like those who murder their parents, but once they finish the book, they’ll understand why the law demands that even the most unsavory persons are entitled to zealous advocacy. Those who identify with David’s experience with Ross Carlson, might feel compelled to join others in working to stop child maltreatment.”
“With a keen eye for detail and nuance, Savitz takes the reader 'inside the room' and offers a sometimes wry but always unflinching view of Carlson and the years-long legal machinations in the case as prosecutors argued Carlson was faking the MPD disorder while Savitz and his defense team attempted to show Carlson was not guilty by reason of insanity. Savitz details the unusual bond that developed between attorney and client in the years Carlson and Savitz's lives were intertwined…Savitz's deep dive into the Carlson case allows the reader to act as jury, weigh the evidence, and decide if Ross Carlson was a malingerer, or suffered from multiple personality disorder.”
“This book is a poignant forensic case study of a young man accused of murdering his parents. Through the eyes of the criminal defense attorney, David Savitz, we learn much about the enduring emotional damages from the horrid abuse, the unmentionable cruelties and suffering inflicted, and emotionally barren and loveless childhoods endured by the youngest of children… We meet Ross, Justin, Black, Blue, and others, each playing a role in the ‘We,’ which is Carlson. Savitz feels for Carlson, he wonders why some families do not love their children or worse, harm them. The ensuing court drama moves by twists and turns. And the end is sudden and unexpected.”
“Just in the Nick of Time is one of the most profound cases of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), all told from the perspective of the person who interacted most with the personalities, his criminal defense lawyer David Savitz. Their personalities ranged from polite to vicious, from childish to streetwise. Some were so frightening that the treating doctors hesitated to engage with them. This is the true-life story of a young criminal defense lawyer defending a double homicide relying on a mental illness defense that much of the psychiatric community rejected as implausible or contrived”
“A must read of two lawyers whose empathy pushed them to persist beyond the call of duty to defend a double murderer with a bizarre mental disorder in the face of a state’s active resistance to comply with two judges' orders! What shines from every page is their humanity despite the horror of the story.”
“The crime was not a whodunit, but why it occurred is an absorbing mystery of claimed mental illness and parricide from the perspective of a passionate defense attorney. A psychiatric defense was considered, but was Carlson mentally ill or was he malingering? This book is as much memoir as mystery with a close-up view of Savitz’s exceptional willingness to relax professional boundaries to establish a deeply caring relationship with his client…Among others who will enjoy this true crime book, there is much to learn here for criminal defense attorneys and forensic mental health professionals.”
“Just in the Nick of Time has all the makings of a classic true crime novel, but what sets it apart is the relationship that unfolds between defense lawyer and client. Unflinching and insightful, a masterful read about the difficulties of mental health issues, empathy and compassion for the client, and the frustrations encountered in our present day criminal legal system. The real power of this story is David’s unwavering kindness and compassion for his client, one whose impact clearly remains with him today.”