Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar and Charles Koch Foundation Mark the One-Year Anniversary of the First Step Act with the NACDL First Step Act Resource Center -- Washington, DC (Dec. 19, 2019) – Saturday, December 21, marks the one-year anniversary of the signing into law of the First Step Act, a landmark bipartisan criminal justice reform measure. The Act was passed as a first step toward addressing the problems related to overcriminalization and overincarceration in the federal criminal justice system. 

President Trump Signs Executive Order Directing the Establishment of a Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice; Altogether Omits Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform -- Washington, DC (Oct. 29, 2019) – Yesterday, President Trump signed an “Executive Order on the Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice” that altogether fails to support or even acknowledge broad areas of bipartisan agreement and work concerning public safety and the administration of justice.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Commends California Gov. Newsom and the California Legislature for Banning Facial Recognition Technology on Police-Worn Body Cameras -- Washington, DC (Oct. 10, 2019) – California Governor Gavin Newsom signed The Body Camera Accountability Act (AB 1215) into law this week, effectively banning the use of facial recognition technology on police body cameras in California for three years.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Lauds Newly Introduced “Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2019” -- Washington, DC (Sept. 26, 2019) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) supports and urges others to support the “Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2019,” co-sponsored by Senators Durbin (D-IL), Grassley (R-IA), Leahy (D-VT), Tillis (R-NC), Booker (D-NJ), and Lee (R-UT), and introduced today in the U.S. Senate. 

NACDL Voices Concerns about DOJ’s First Step Act Risk and Needs Assessment System -- Washington, DC (Sept. 11, 2019) – Yesterday, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) President Nina J. Ginsberg submitted to U.S. Attorney General William Barr NACDL’s comments on the Department of Justice’s First Step Act Risk and Needs Assessment System – PATTERN – published in July.

Out with the Old, In with the New NACDL.org -- Washington, DC (Sept. 4, 2019) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is proud to announce the launch of a totally redesigned and rejuvenated NACDL.org. This completely reinvented site is a reflection of collaboration among NACDL members, the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, staff, and everyone else whose guidance, suggestions, and engagement since the beginning of the website redesign process have molded the site into what it is today.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Receives the Inaugural Champion of Justice Pro Bono Award from the Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (August 7, 2019) - Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP received NACDL’s inaugural Champion of Justice Pro Bono Award at the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice (NFCJ) Gala in Philadelphia, PA, on August 2.

Judge L. Felipe “Phil” Restrepo Receives the Champion of Justice Judicial Recognition Award from Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (August 7, 2019) – Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge L. Felipe “Phil” Restrepo was awarded the Champion of Justice Judicial Recognition Award at the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice’s (NFCJ) Gala in Philadelphia, PA, on August 2. 

American Singer-Songwriter and Activist John Flynn Presented with Champion of Justice Humanitarian Award by Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (August 7, 2019) – John Flynn, singer-songwriter, social justice activist, and Executive Director of New Beginnings-Next Step, Inc., received the NACDL Champion of Justice Humanitarian Award at the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice’s (NFCJ) Gala in Philadelphia, PA, on August 2.

Capital Habeas Corpus Unit (CHU) honored with Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar’s Champion of Justice Legal Award -- Washington, DC (August 7, 2019) – The Capital Habeas Corpus Unit (CHU) at the Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania received the Champion of Justice Legal Award at the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice (NFCJ) Gala in Philadelphia, PA, on August 2.

Martín A. Sabelli Receives Champion of Justice Award from Nation's Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (Aug. 6, 2019) – On Saturday, August 3, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) presented Martín A. Sabelli with its Champion of Justice Legal Award. Champion of Justice Awards are bestowed upon those individuals who have staunchly preserved or defended the constitutional rights of American citizens and have endeavored to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime.

South Carolina Attorney Christopher A. Wellborn Receives Prestigious 2019 Heeney Award from Nation's Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (August 6, 2019) – On Saturday, August 3, Attorney Christopher A. Wellborn of Rock Hill, SC, received the Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association's Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA. 

Jody Kent Lavy Receives Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award from Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (Aug. 6, 2019) – On Friday, Aug. 2, 2019, Jody Kent Lavy—Executive Director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY)—was presented with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award at NACDL's 18th Annual State Criminal Justice Network (SCJN) conference in Philadelphia, PA. 

2019-20 Officers and Newly-Elected and Re-Elected Members of the NACDL Board of Directors Sworn in at Annual Meeting -- Washington, DC (Aug. 5, 2019) - NACDL installed newly-elected officers and directors at its Annual Board and Membership Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, on August 3.

Alexandria, Virginia, Lawyer Nina Ginsberg Sworn In as 2019-2020 President of Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (Aug. 5, 2019) - Nina Ginsberg of Alexandria, VA, was sworn in as President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA, on August 3. 

NACDL Member and General Counsel for FAMM Receives Champion of Justice Restoration of Rights Award from Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (August 5, 2019) – Mary Price, long time NACDL member and General Counsel for FAMM, received NACDL’s Champion of Justice Restoration of Rights Award at the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice (NFCJ) Gala in Philadelphia, PA, on August 2. 

Special Double Issue of Federal Sentencing Reporter on “The Trial Penalty” - Washington, DC (July 10, 2019) – The Federal Sentencing Reporter, published by University of California Press, has released a double issue covering April and June 2019, edited by NACDL Executive Director Norman L. Reimer and NACDL Second Vice President Martín Antonio Sabelli, entitled “The Tyranny of the Trial Penalty: The Consensus that Coercive Plea Practices Must End.”

FAMM, Washington Lawyers’ Committee, NACDL Launch Compassionate Release Clearinghouse -- Washington, DC (June 19, 2019) – Thousands of sick, dying, and elderly federal prisoners who are eligible for early release will now have access to free legal representation in court through the newly established Compassionate Release Clearinghouse. 

NACDL Releases Conference Report: “Shattering the Shackles of Collateral Consequences” -- Washington, DC (June 4, 2019) – On August 23–25, 2018, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) hosted its 17^th Annual State Criminal Justice Network (SCJN) Conference and 2^nd Annual Presidential Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. The Conference — Shattering the Shackles of Collateral Consequences: Exploring Moral Principles and Economic Innovations to Restore Rights and Opportunity — examined the destructive effect that a vast network...

NACDL Applauds Abolition of the Death Penalty in New Hampshire -- Washington, DC (May 30, 2019) – This morning, the New Hampshire legislature overrode Governor Sununu’s veto of its legislation repealing the death penalty, making New Hampshire the last state in New England, and the 21st state in the nation, to abolish or overturn the death penalty. Earlier this session, the New Hampshire House and Senate had both passed legislation to repeal the death penalty by veto-proof majorities. 

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Calls for Tennessee to #TestTheDNA in the Sedley Alley Case -- Nashville, TN (May 2, 2019) – In 2006, the State of Tennessee executed Sedley Alley for murder in a case his attorneys maintain had the “tell-tale signs of a wrongful conviction and DNA evidence that could have proved his innocence.” Yesterday, Sedley’s daughter April Alley announced that she is petitioning the criminal court in Shelby County, Tennessee, for post-conviction DNA testing in her father’s case. 

NACDL's Fourth Amendment Center Releases Compelled Decryption Primer -- Washington, DC (April 30, 2019) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Fourth Amendment Center released a new primer for defense lawyers on the topic of compelled decryption, which is when law enforcement seeks to require an individual to unlock and decrypt their personal electronic device(s). More and more such cases are finding their way into the courts. 

New Hampshire Senate Passes Bill Repealing Death Penalty; Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Urges Governor to Sign -- Washington, DC (April 11, 2019) - On Thursday, April 11, the New Hampshire Senate voted to repeal the state’s death penalty 17 to 6,  a veto-proof majority. State lawmakers have previously considered legislation to repeal the death penalty every session for the last two decades but, even when passed, lacked the votes to override gubernatorial vetoes. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Ill-Conceived Legislation That Would Undermine Core Tenet of American Criminal Justice -- Washington, DC (Apr. 3, 2019) – Earlier today, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced the “Corporate Executive Accountability Act,” an ill-conceived piece of legislation that would undermine a central tenet of the American system of criminal justice – that a “guilty mind” or mens rea must be present before someone can be deemed criminally blameworthy.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Welcomes Criminal Justice Reforms Adopted by the State of New York -- Washington, DC (Apr. 1, 2019) – On Sunday, March 31, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Senate and Assembly reached agreement concerning multiple, significant pretrial criminal justice reforms as part of the state’s FY 2020 budget package. These changes will take effect in 2020. The reforms concern speedy access to trial, discovery in criminal cases, and bail and pretrial release.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Welcomes Death Penalty Moratorium in California; Praises Governor Gavin Newsom -- Washington, DC (Mar. 13, 2019) – Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom made history, signing an executive order placing a moratorium on the death penalty in California. This means that, for now, there will be no further state-sponsored executions in California, which has the largest number of people – 737 – on death row in the country. As of 2018, there were 2,743 people serving on death row across America. 

Text NACDL to 50457; Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Unveils Mobile Text Alerts to Bolster Criminal Justice Reform Advocacy -- Washington, DC (Feb. 27, 2019) – Making an impact in criminal justice reform just got easier. Following the implementation of a new mobile advocacy platform, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) today unveils a new way to engage advocates in support of NACDL’s criminal justice reform priorities. Just text NACDL to 50457 to get started.

Nation's Criminal Defense Bar Mourns San Francisco Public Defender and NACDL Board Member Jeff Adachi --   Washington, DC (Feb. 23, 2019) - The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is extremely saddened by the loss of San Francisco Public Defender and NACDL Board Member Jeff Adachi. Mr. Adachi passed away late yesterday at the age of 59. He is survived by his wife Mutsuko and his daughter Lauren.

The NAS Report on Strengthening Forensic Science, Ten Years On; Much Work Still To Be Done -- Washington, DC (Feb. 18, 2019) – Ten years ago today the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences released the landmark report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States, A Path Forward (NAS Report). The impact of the NAS Report in strengthening forensic science and improving its use in the courtroom has been tremendous.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Demands Immediate and Comprehensive Investigation into the Emergence and Handling of the ‘Inhumane and Cruel’ Conditions at the Federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn -- Washington, DC (Feb. 4, 2019) – For the better part of a week, people being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), the federal jail in Brooklyn, New York, housing more than 1,600 people in federal custody, were forced into lockdown in their cells without light and without heat, all during an outbreak of frigid weather.

NACDL President Drew Findling to Speak at #SecondChances Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, January 26 -- Washington, DC (Jan. 22, 2019) – The Brian Hamilton Foundation and Inmates to Entrepreneurs are sponsoring a conference, open to the public, this Saturday, January 26, 2019, in Atlanta, GA -- #SecondChances Atlanta: How to Start Your Own Business.

Civil Rights Corps and the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Receive Champion of Public Defense Award from Nation's Criminal Defense Bar -- Washington, DC (Jan. 15, 2019) – On Friday, January 11, 2019, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) presented the Civil Rights Corps and the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, as co-recipients, with NACDL’s Champion of Public Defense Award at NACDL’s Race Matters II conference in Los Angeles, California. 

Stevie Wonder Honored with Champion of Justice Award at NACDL’s “Race Matters” Conference In Los Angeles, CA on January 10, 2019 -- Washington, DC (Jan. 15, 2019) - The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) honored one of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music. Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and political activist Stevie Wonder received the Champion of Justice Award on Thursday, January 10, at NACDL’s Race Matters II: The Impact of Race on Criminal Justice conference at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, in Los Angeles.

In Landmark Case, Vermont Supreme Court Issues Unanimous Racial Profiling Decision -- Washington, DC (Jan. 7, 2019) – On Friday, January 4, 2019, the Vermont Supreme Court unanimously found that law enforcement can be civilly liable for discriminatory searches and seizures in violation of the Vermont Constitution.

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Foundation for Criminal Justice Announces New Officers and Historic Vision for Criminal Justice Reform -- Washington, DC (Jan. 3, 2019) – The NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice (NFCJ), previously known as the Foundation for Criminal Justice (FCJ), announces the recent election of its slate of officers.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar to Present Stevie Wonder with Champion of Justice Award at Association’s “Race Matters” Conference In Los Angeles, CA on January 10, 2019 -- Washington, DC (Jan. 3, 2019) - NACDL will honor one of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music. Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and political activist, Stevie Wonder, will receive the Champion of Justice Award on Thursday, January 10, at NACDL’s Race Matters II: The Impact of Race on Criminal Justice conference at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, in Los Angeles.