From the President: Gideon's Champion

NACDL has launched a 12-month celebration of the Gideon v. Wainwright decision.

Access to The Champion archive is one of many exclusive member benefits. It’s normally restricted to just NACDL members. However, this content, and others like it, is available to everyone in order to educate the public on why criminal justice reform is a necessity.

As announced in the January/February edition of The Champion, NACDL has launched an 15-month long celebration of the Golden Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright. It has been 50 years since Clarence Earl Gideon filed his simple handwritten petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, and, long before the historic decision ever came down, the Court acknowledged the critical role of the defense lawyer by appointing exceptional counsel to represent Mr. Gideon. Representing those accused of crimes who cannot otherwise afford counsel, standing with those individuals as they face the multitude of life-altering consequences that flow from a potential criminal conviction, is the very best of what we, as criminal defense lawyers, do. To commemorate this milestone, the Foundation for Criminal Justice is hosting a gala in conjunction with NACDL’s annual meeting in San Francisco. This is a time to celebrate the venerable part that defense lawyers play in combatting injustice. I hope you will join us in San Francisco as we mark this historic anniversary, honor the heroic work of publicly funded defense counsel, and reaffirm our commitment to seeing the noble idea of Gideon put into practice

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  1. The Champion
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    March/April 2025

    What are the evidentiary implications of field sobriety tests in marijuana cases? Does the odor of marijuana give officers probable cause to search a vehicle?

  2. Amicus Brief
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    Jenner & Block LLP v. U.S. Department of Justice

    Brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and New York Council of Defense Lawyers as Amici Curiae in Support of Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

  3. News Release
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    News Release ~ Law Enforcement Executive Order

    NACDL Warns Executive Order's Dangerous Overreach Undermines Community Safety and Trust in Police – Washington, DC (April 29, 2025) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) expressed deep concern regarding the Executive Order titled "Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens," cautioning that several of its proposals represent a dangerous overreach that undermines these goals by jeopardizing individual rights and the legitimacy of law enforcement in the eyes of the community.

  4. Event
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    Trial Tactics for Pregnancy-Related Cases: Skills for Every Defender

    LOCATION: The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX
    DATE: May 16-17, 2025
    COST: FREE (registration is required)
    CLE Credit: Up to 14.5 credits 

  5. Webinar
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    Collaborative Approaches to Appellate Defense: Recognizing Clients' Legal Expertise

    WHEN: Thursday, May 8, 3:00-4:30pm ET / 12:00-1:30pm PT
    CLE CREDIT: not available
    COST: Free

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