NACDL Applauds Call to End Crack and Powder Cocaine Sentencing Disparity in Federal Courts  – Washington, DC (Dec. 16, 2022) – On December 16, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memo instructing federal prosecutors to stop the practice of sentencing crack cocaine and powder cocaine distribution differently, ending the practice of disproportionately punishing crack cocaine offenses, with a disparate impact on Black communities.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Remembers Past President Jim Shellow – Washington, DC (Nov. 3, 2022) – Milwaukee, Wis., attorney and Past President (1975-76) of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) James Myers Shellow ("Jim"), passed away on October 29, 2022, just before his 96th birthday.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Proposes Solutions to Racial Bias and Wrongful Convictions Due to Illegal Use of Incarcerated Informants – Washington, DC (Oct. 14, 2022) – On October 13, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced their findings from a six-year investigation into Orange County, CA prosecutor and law enforcement use of jailhouse informants. In a report, the DOJ outlined how Orange County prosecutors and Sheriff deputies ran a covert program to track and incentivize custodial informants used to obtain incriminating statements from individuals arrested and charged...

NACDL Applauds Historic Presidential Pardons to Address Failed War on Drugs – Washington, DC (Oct. 6, 2022) – President Biden made an unprecedented announcement on October 6, 2022, in response to the years of failed legislation and politics that have incarcerated thousands of people for simple, non-violent drug offenses. President Biden will be pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana, a bold move which will provide relief to thousands of people with simple drug convictions.

Nation’s Defense Bar Renews Demand for Rikers Remedy – Washington, DC (Sept. 29, 2022) – Today, NACDL and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL) delivered a renewed and urgent request to the New York City Council and the Public Advocate regarding the ongoing crisis at Rikers Island detention center.

Baylor Law Honors NACDL President Elect Michael Heiskell with Lawyer of the Year Award – Washington, DC (Sept. 15, 2022) – NACDL President Elect Michael Heiskell received Baylor School of Law's 2022 Lawyer of the Year Award at a ceremony on September 15 at the Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, TX. The law school presents the annual award to an outstanding alumnus who has brought honor and distinction to the Law School and to the legal profession.

NACDL Fourth Amendment Center Welcomes Two New Attorneys – Washington, DC (Sept. 13, 2022) – NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center welcomes two new additions to the team: Senior Litigator Sidney Thaxter and Training and Resource Counsel Clare Garvie. They bring their expertise to the Center which offers direct assistance to defense lawyers handling cases involving new technologies and tactics that infringe on privacy rights.

National Criminal Defense Bar Partners with Community Groups to Offer Marylanders Free Advice on How to Clear Criminal Records – Washington, DC (Sept. 9, 2022) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is partnering with Maryland organizations to offer free advice and resources on how to expunge, clear, or seal eligible criminal records.

Legal Groups File Lawsuit Against the State of Wisconsin for Extreme, Unconstitutional Delays in Representation for Indigent Defendants – Brown County, WI (Aug. 23, 2022) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL), Winston & Strawn LLP, and New York University School of Law's Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law filed a civil rights class action lawsuit on behalf of indigent defendants in Wisconsin who lack access to timely appointed counsel in criminal proceedings.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Presents Champion of Justice Legal Award to Legal Ethics Expert Ellen Yaroshefsky – Washington, DC (Aug. 18, 2022) – On August 13, legal ethics professor Ellen Yaroshefsky was awarded the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Champion of Justice Legal Award at the Association’s annual meeting.

Austin, TX Attorney E. G. Morris Receives Prestigious 2022 Heeney Award from Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar – Washington, DC (Aug. 17, 2022) – Attorney E. G. “Gerry” Morris of Austin, TX received the Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association's Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, FL on August 13. 

Martin Weinberg Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar – Washington, DC (Aug. 17, 2022) – Criminal defense attorney Martin G. Weinberg was awarded the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Lifetime Achievement Award on August 13 by Immediate Past President Martín Sabelli during the Association’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, FL. NACDL’s Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented in recognition of exceptional accomplishments over a lifetime of distinguished leadership and service on behalf of the law. 

West Palm Beach, Florida Attorney Nellie L. King Installed as President of Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar – Washington, DC (Aug. 15, 2022) – Florida Attorney Nellie L. King was sworn in as the 64th President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association's annual meeting in Palm Beach, FL.

2022-23 Officers and Newly-Elected and Re-Elected Members of the NACDL Board of Directors Installed at Annual Meeting – Washington, DC (Aug. 15, 2022) - NACDL installed newly-elected officers and directors at its Annual Board and Membership Meeting on August 13.

The Pacific Juvenile Defender Center Receives the 2022 Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award From Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar – Washington, DC (Aug. 12, 2022) – The Pacific Juvenile Defender Center (PJDC) was presented with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award at NACDL's 21st Annual State Criminal Justice Network (SCJN) Conference in Palm Beach, Florida on August 12th. The award recognizes an individual or group whose tremendous efforts have led toward progressive reform of a state criminal legal system.

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Remembers Past President Frank Maloney – Washington, DC (July 13, 2022) – Texas attorney, longtime member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), and Past President (1987-88) Frank Maloney passed away on July 5 at the age of 94. Maloney was a passionate defender and advocate, especially during his tenure as President. His dedication to criminal defense and the mission of NACDL will be sorely missed.

NACDL Statement on Dobbs, the Criminalization of Pregnancy and Reproductive Health, and the Human Toll of Overcriminalization – Washington, DC (June 24, 2022) – Today, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, unleashing a new era of mass prosecution by authorizing states to criminalize abortion. 

Nation’s Defense Bar Celebrates Juneteenth National Independence Day – Washington, DC (June 17, 2022) – On Sunday, the nation will celebrate its 155th Juneteenth National Independence Day. This day commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. Today it represents Black Freedom in America. While this day is about commemorating the successes of our ancestors and freedom, there is still work to do.

Joint IACDL and NACDL Statement Concerning the Presumption of Innocence, the Presumption of Pretrial Release, and Fundamental Fairness in Our Criminal Legal System – Washington, DC (June 10, 2022) – During a press conference held on Monday, June 6, 2022, Lori Lightfoot, the Mayor of Chicago, urged judges to deny bail for people accused of violent crimes simply because prosecutors had elected to charge them. Mayor Lightfoot suggested that judges should assume guilt when deciding whether to grant bail because "given the exacting standards that the state’s attorney has for charging a case...

Nation’s Defense Bar Condemns Supreme Court Decision Undermining the Right of Habeas Corpus – Washington, DC (May 31, 2022) – Last week, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion undermining the capacity of federal courts to remedy wrongful convictions in state courts. In Shinn v. Ramirez, the Supreme Court upheld two death sentences despite a record of incompetence by state-appointed habeas counsel. The Court held, under Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA)...

On the Second Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder, Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Calls for Renewed Focus on Reform – Washington, DC (May 25, 2022) – Two years ago, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, shocking the nation and setting off a renewed wave of calls for reform of police use of force against people of color.

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Praises Recent Biden Administration Commutations, Pardons, and Reentry Initiatives, Calls on White House to Increase Clemency Grants – Washington, DC (April 26, 2022) – Today, the Biden administration granted three pardons, commuted 75 sentences, and announced a series of initiatives to support meaningful second chances for formerly incarcerated individuals. These initiatives include job training for those incarcerated in federal prisons and expanded access to critical services such as education, healthcare, and housing for those returning...

NACDL President on the Supreme Court’s Failure to Address Naked Racial Prejudice – Washington, DC (April 20, 2022) – NACDL President Martín Sabelli issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s failure to hear the case of Kristopher Love v. Texas:

The Nation’s Defense Bar Celebrates Historic Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court  – Washington, DC (April 7, 2022) – NACDL celebrates the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson based on her unassailable qualifications. NACDL, however, notes that we have a long way to go to achieve meaningful diversity in the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary and therefore calls on President Biden to continue to nominate highly qualified members of the defense bar to the bench.

NACDL Mourns Loss of Former Board Member John Kenneth Zwerling (“JZ”) – Washington, DC (March 29, 2022) – John Kenneth Zwerling (“JZ”) passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 27, 2022. For those that knew John, and for the criminal defense bar, this is a deep loss. Though John had been battling leukemia since the summer of 2021, consistent with his lifelong mission and dedication as a defense lawyer, he continued to argue cases persuasively and as recently as two weeks ago. His beloved wife of 48 years, Pat West, was with him on his final day.

Statement on Meaningful Diversity in the Judiciary – Why the Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson Marks a Sea Change – Washington, DC (March 21, 2022) – NACDL celebrates the historic nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. For the first time, a nominee offers this nation lived experience as a Black woman and as a former public defender – perspectives which have historically been minimized throughout the federal judiciary and totally excluded from the highest court in the land. 

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Again Calls on DOJ Leadership to Address Inhumane Conditions at Rikers Island – Washington, DC (March 18, 2022) – On Monday, March 14, NACDL and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL) delivered a request to the leadership of the Department of Justice regarding the violent, inhumane, and unconstitutional conditions persisting at the Rikers Island Correctional Facility. 

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Executive Director Lisa M. Wayne on Public Defense Day and the Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson -- Washington, DC (March 18, 2022) –On Public Defense Day 2022, NACDL Executive Director Lisa M. Wayne issued the following statement: Across the country, attorneys representing poor people charged with criminal offenses contend with staggering workloads, inadequate support, and low pay. 

NACDL President Elect Nellie L. King Awarded the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida’s 2022 Harriette S. Glasner Award -- Washington, DC (March 17, 2022) - On March 13, 2022, the Palm Beach County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU-FL) awarded NACDL President Elect Nellie L. King the 2022 Harriette S. Glasner Award at its Annual Meeting. The Glasner Award is presented yearly in recognition of “Lifelong Devotion to Civil Liberties.”

Nation’s Criminal Defense Bar Presents Champion of Justice Advocacy Award to Jason Hernandez – Washington, DC (March 8, 2022) – On Friday, February 25, Jason Hernandez was awarded the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Champion of Justice Advocacy Award during a joint fundraiser with NACDL and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in Austin, TX.

Defense Attorney and Criminal Law Professor JaneAnne Murray Receives NACDL’s Champion of Justice Legal Award -- Washington, DC (March 7, 2022) – JaneAnne Murray was awarded the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Champion of Justice Legal Award on February 26 during the Association’s Midwinter Meeting in Austin, TX. Champion of Justice Awards are bestowed upon those individuals who—through legislative, journalistic, philanthropic, or humanitarian pursuits—have staunchly preserved or defended the constitutional rights of...

The Nation’s Defense Bar Celebrates Historic Nomination of First Black Woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court – Washington, DC (Feb. 25, 2022) – NACDL celebrates the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman Associate Justice to the Supreme Court.

NACDL Remembers Past President Robert "Fogie" Fogelnest – Washington, DC (Feb. 8, 2022) – Robert Fogelnest, known to his friends as "Fogie," passed peacefully at his home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico on February 6, 2022. Before he retired in 2009, Fogie enjoyed a national and international practice and a reputation as one of the most creative and best criminal defense lawyers in the United States. He represented the accused in both state and federal courts including the famed "Pizza Connection" trial, one of the nation’s first so-called mega-trials.

NACDL Condemns the Continued Use of Dangerous “No Knock” Warrants, Calls to End the Practice – Washington, DC (Feb. 7, 2022) – In the wake of the killing of Amir Locke by Minneapolis police last week, NACDL leaders and staff issued the following statements.

Nation's Criminal Defense Bar Mourns Tucson Attorney and NACDL Death Penalty Committee Chair Natman Schaye -- Washington, DC (Jan. 31, 2022) - The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is extremely saddened by the loss of Tucson Attorney and NACDL Death Penalty Committee Chair Natman Schaye. Mr. Schaye passed away Friday, January 28.

Virginia Redemption Project Secures Release, Continues Work In Hopes For More -- Washington, DC (Jan. 19, 2022) – Last week, one of NACDL’s Return to Freedom efforts, the Virginia Redemption Project, secured its first conditional pardon grant. This comes after two additional grants which were supported by the Virginia Redemption Project.

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Welcomes BOP Rule Allowing for the Release of Thousands Under the First Step Act – Washington, DC (Jan. 13, 2022) – Thousands will be released from federal prisons over the next weeks thanks to implementation of a rule created by the 2018 First Step Act. The rule, implemented today by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), allows incarcerated individuals to work toward home confinement or supervised release by completing approved Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) Programs and Productive Activities (PAs).

NACDL Condemns Inhumane Conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn – Washington, DC (Jan. 7, 2022) – The Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center subjects people awaiting trial to inhumane and dangerous pandemic conditions. MDC Brooklyn has the highest number of COVID-19 positive detainees in the nation – more than 15% of the population tested positive as of January 5, 2022, including, remarkably, approximately half of the women detainees.