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.
This presentation focuses on technology’s effect on the way Jurors receive and process information today. The presentation covers topics such as: demographics of today’s jury pool; knowing your jury; verbal persuasion techniques; effective creation of visual aids like PowerPoint and computer animations; AI’s effect on the law, and the law on admissibility when using visual aids.
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
What strategies can defense lawyers use to challenge this new and invasive investigative technique?
In the digital age, law enforcement is savvy enough to pull information about your client’s online presence and use it against them. Getting this data and challenging it are skills every modern defense attorney needs. This webinar covers how social media evidence can and cannot be accessed, how it’s authenticated, and viable legal arguments to use and challenge it in your own cases.
To access this content, you will have to create an NACDL account and complete a short form. You will not have to purchase a membership.
This webinar continues our discussion and training series on the criminalization of voting, highlighting voter prosecution issues in Texas and equipping defense attorneys interested in assisting individuals facing these charges with the necessary information, resources, and tools needed to provide an effective defense.
​​​​Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems are getting more sophisticated and more accessible to police. ALPRs can gather information about people and their movements, but police also use them creatively: creating associations between vehicles and identifying “suspicious” travel patterns.
This webinar from NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center explores ALPR systems, the cases affecting law on open roads, and how to challenge this evidence in your own case.
Co-hosted by NACDL and Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
This webinar continues our discussion and training series on the criminalization of voting, highlighting how defenders can best serve their clients, including how to assist individuals in navigating the various issues surrounding their voting rights.
The discussion covers how judges get nominated, including commissions, timelines, and the ABA process, among other things. Panelists also address specifically the considerations that NACDL attorneys should address to maximize odds of getting on the bench.
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.
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.
A criminal conviction can lead to permanent loss of voting rights. Disenfranchising millions of Americans due to a criminal conviction undercuts the promise of democracy and severely weakens the power of communities, particularly those most harmed by the legal system, to meaningfully shape the political bodies that are supposed to represent them.
The panelists explored the nationwide impact of felony disenfranchisement and how the recent prosecutions of people with felony convictions attempting to register to vote or cast a ballot harm our democracy. They also discussed the potential solutions at hand, including some that have already passed state legislatures.
Misunderstood & Underused: The Rules of Evidence You're Missing Pt II [Engage & Exchange Discussion] (featuring Cheryl D. Stein)