TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
In addition to doing their part to ensure justice for the county, whenever they can, Crisp and Richards make a special effort to connect the police officers in a case with the citizens they have helped, so both sides can share the humanity and love. Crisp remembers when she was a child, people seemed to feel differently about police, and she wants to bring back the bond that once existed between officers and the community at large. Thoughtful behavior and a genuine love for people and the law are nothing new for either half of this dream team. Crisp and Richards both heard their professional calling at a young age. “When I was a little girl, I didn’t even know what the word “attorney” meant… but I still somehow knew that I wanted to be a lawyer,” Richards said. Crisp nodded, “Same here… that’s just always what I wanted to be. And my dad told me I could do it, so I believed I could.” Richards grew up in Texarkana, Texas, and graduated from Pleasant Grove High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from The University of Texas at Austin and her Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School. Crisp grew up in Booneville, Arkansas. She has three degrees, including her Juris Doctor, from The University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. The team met in 2006 and became trial partners in 2015. “We are like sisters—connected on a deeper level,” they agreed. In the courtroom, this connection manifests as a gift. Each woman knows what the other is thinking, how she will respond, and what she
Bowie County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards
Bowie County First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp
most difficult circumstance they have ever encountered. There is a genuine pain and loss that they are working through in each of the conversations,” Crisp said as Richards nodded her head in agreement. In preparation for the Parker trial, the team worked seven days a week for ten months straight. During the trial, New Boston served as their home, which meant sacrificing social events, family gatherings, and just about every comfort and normalcy you can imagine while they gave 100% of themselves to the case. The volume of work was overwhelming. They had to unpack every aspect of the defendant’s complicated life and leave no stone unturned. “You basically turn into a recluse,” Crisp shared. “Most people have no idea how much preparation and work goes into a trial like this. People see us up there talking to the jury and think that’s it. Hardly! There are hundreds or thousands of hours of preparation and a team of people helping us. While the demands of other jobs require a committed team, the nature of our trials means that people’s lives are on the line and justice hangs in the balance.” The perseverance of this dynamic duo has become very personal. “We are citizens of Bowie County. Our kids live here. Sure, we know we are only two people, but we can set an example for people around us. Maybe we will inspire future young lawyers to want to protect the community like we do,” Richards said. She continued, “We know we can’t save the world, but we can do what we can do to keep it safe here in Bowie County.”
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BUSINESS & POLITICS
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