Renewed War on Drugs, harsher charging policies, stepped-up criminalization of immigrants — in the current climate, joining the NACDL is more important than ever. Members of NACDL help to support the only national organization working at all levels of government to ensure that the voice of the defense bar is heard.
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NACDL is committed to enhancing the capacity of the criminal defense bar to safeguard fundamental constitutional rights.
NACDL harnesses the unique perspectives of NACDL members to advocate for policy and practice improvements in the criminal legal system.
NACDL envisions a society where all individuals receive fair, rational, and humane treatment within the criminal legal system.
NACDL’s mission is to serve as a leader, alongside diverse coalitions, in identifying and reforming flaws and inequities in the criminal legal system, and redressing systemic racism, and ensuring that its members and others in the criminal defense bar are fully equipped to serve all accused persons at the highest level.
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This training program will aid those working to defend persons accused of homicide in drug-related overdose deaths. Each section of the program focuses on a different aspect of these cases. CLE is not available for this program.
The seminar discusses a review of evaluation, designation, treatment and BOP procedures for prisoner placement and follow up. Mr. Jack Donson discusses the BOP requirements and regulations and Dr. Diane Sommer provides in-depth information referencing her thirty-five years of experience as a doctor, twenty of which were in the BOP as well as her time in the military.
The decades-long war on drugs distorted evidence law in drugs and guns cases leaving it littered with landmines for defense lawyers. This presentation will provide an approach for tackling the pervasive challenges defense lawyers face in drugs and guns cases such as co-conspirator statements, prior bad acts, and questionable government expert evidence.
Federal prosecutors regularly ask courts to impose sentences within the Guidelines ranges to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities under 18 USC §3553(a)(6), but these arguments often ignore data about what sentences are actually being imposed, especially in white-collar cases. The Sentencing Commission has made it easier to see this data through the Judiciary Sentencing Information (JSIN) platform, and regular use of JSIN data is already being tested in 1/3 of federal district courts around the country.
NACDL and the NYU Center on Violence and Recovery invite you to watch this on-demand video series on Restorative Justice (RJ). This series seeks to inform and assist criminal legal system stakeholders considering the implementation of an RJ program in their jurisdiction.
In the United States, disabled individuals are over-represented as both victims of crime and those accused of crimes compared with their non-disabled counterparts. This overrepresentation is even higher for those with disabilities and other marginalized identities. To help legal system professionals address these inequities, NACDL is offering an array of trainings and resources.
The presentation includes a brief PowerPoint presentation on topics from the Female Offender Manual. A panel discussion follows to address questions on the policy, medical treatment, special needs and challenges regarding the administration of female facilities.
The Resource Center Webinar & Video Library showcases many of the free webinars and information-packed training videos produced by NACDL on a wide variety of topics. This is only a small part of the training videos, resources manuals, and other products across all criminal defense practice areas that NACDL offers – visit the NACDL Store to find even more material to assist defense lawyers.
Explore the recent amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines that took effect on November 1, 2023, in particular those that permit for a reduction in sentence. They will offer a comprehensive overview of the these amendments, the government’s latest position on them, and practice tips on making the most of them for your clients.
Persons with disabilities represent one of the nation's largest minority populations. They are overrepresented in the criminal legal system as persons who are accused as well as persons who are victims of crime. In both the criminal legal system and in society generally, persons with disabilities are often denied meaningful access to the processes and protections afforded to the general population. These training materials and resources provide introduction to some of the issues and challenges that exist in our criminal legal system for persons with disabilities.
A thorough understanding of Crawford and Bruton issues is crucial for criminal defense lawyers. The Confrontation Clause area, however, can seem daunting and riddled with contradictory Supreme Court decisions. This presentation demystifies Crawford and Bruton and provides defense lawyers a clear and systematic method of tackling Confrontation Clause issues.
“[A]n essential component” of the right to an impartial jury is the “selection of a jury from a representative cross-section of the community.” Taylor v. Louisiana, 419 U.S. 522, 528 (1975).
They call me a lady lawyer, a pretty sobriquet...for of course to be worthy of so dainty a title, I was bound to maintain a dainty manner as I browbeat my way through the marshes of ignorance and prejudice. - Clara Shortridge Folz
To combat questionable prosecution “expert” evidence, defense lawyers need to have a thorough understanding of Federal Rule of Evidence 702 and companion rules. This presentation provides practitioners with a framework for Article VII (Opinions and Expert Testimony) of the Federal Rules of Evidence, summarizes defense favorable cases, and presents arguments and tips on how to spot and avoid the most common ways the prosecution abuses expert testimony. This area is of vital importance now considering the recent amendments to Federal Rule of Evidence 702.