National Advocacy Calls on Developing Legislation

On Thursday, June 21, 2018, NACDL hosted a discussion about the model legislation and a review of states that have enacted occupational licenses. Speakers included Lee McGrath, Managing Attorney of the Institute for Justice Minnesota office and IJ's Senior Legislative Counsel; and Joshua House, an attorney with the Institute for Justice.

The Institute for Justice has developed a campaign including model legislation that serves as a...

NACDL hosted a National Advocacy Call on Developing Legislation on Thursday, October, 19, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. EDT focused on the NACDL/FAMM State Clemency Project. The call featured Norman Reimer, Executive Director, NACDL; Mary Price, General Counsel, FAMM; and Alphonso David, Counsel, New York Governor Cuomo. The Project is collaborating with New York State to develop necessary processes and procedures and to provide logistical sup...

Marsy's Law seeks to give crime victims legal standing in bail hearings, pleas, sentencing, and parole hearings. It also allows crime victims to refuse an interview or other discovery requests made by the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused. The Law has passed in several states including California, Illinois, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In North Dakota, issues with interpreting and implementing the la...

NACDL hosted a webinar entitled Under Siege: The Defense Bar Examines Police Militarization, Ethnic & Racial Dynamics of Sentencing, and Their Impact on Criminal Justice Outcomes. The webinar was in response to the uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri and the ensuing swift and extreme police response. The webinar also explored the plethora of polarizing issues including racism, implicit bias, disparate sentencing policies, as well as, t...

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network held an advocacy call on Proposition 62, which would have abolished the death penalty, and Proposition 66, which will maintain the death penalty, but has the potential to cost the state even more and overburden local court resources. A recent report, "California Votes 2016: An Analysis of the Competing Death Penalty Ballot Initiatives," outlines the current sta...

NACDL's National Advocacy Call on Developing Legislation featured a discussion on civil asset forfeiture.  Audio of the program is available below.

Speakers included, Lee McGrath Managing Attorney of the Institute for Justice Minnesota office and serves as IJ's Legislative Counsel; Andy Hoover the legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania; and Kanya Bennett Legislative Counsel in the ACLU's Washingt...

On January 25, 2016, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in Montgomery v. Louisiana that Miller v. Alabama would apply retroactively. These two cases concern the unconstitutionality of juveniles being sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. On Thursday, February 11, 2016, guests Marsha Levick, Deputy Director and Chief Counsel of the Juvenile Law Center and Jody Kent Lavy, Director and National Coordinator, Fair...

We celebrated Bail Reform Month with the Justice Policy Institute and the Pretrial Justice Institute. The presenters included Michael Jones, a senior project associate for PJI, and Spike Bradford, who serves as JPI's juvenile justice expert. The recording of the call will be available shortly. Learn more about NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network. Angelyn C. Frazer, Host. Steven Logan, production supervisor. Music I Will! Rise Ab...

The National Advocacy Call on Developing Legislation in June featured a discussion on sentencing and re-sentencing Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP) cases post Miller. Speakers included, LaShunda Hill, state strategist, and John Hardenberg, Litigation Specialist both with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth and Marc Bookman the Director of Atlantic Center for Capital Representation. Learn more about NACDL's State Crimi...

March's advocacy call focused on unmanned aircraft commonly known as drones, and feature a discussion of pending legislation across the country. The panel discussed jurisdictions that have sought licenses for using the aircraft and legislation pending in several states. Learn more about NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network. Angelyn C. Frazer, Host. Steven Logan, production supervisor. Music I Will! Rise Above (Jared C. Balogh) / ...

February's advocacy call was Wednesday February 13 at 12:00 p.m. EST and focued on legislation that passed around the country on medical and personal use marijuana. In particular the call focues on the state responses based on federal policies. Learn more about NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network. Angelyn C. Frazer, Host. Steven Logan, production supervisor. Music I Will! Rise Above (Jared C. Balogh) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Running ...

NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network (SCJN), has initiated a conference call series entitled National Advocacy Calls on Developing Legislation (NACDL).  The teleconferences generally feature an expert on an issue area and are designed to inform criminal defense lawyers and advocates across the country on a variety of criminal justice issues.  Key to the calls is informing participants of any legislation or litigation pending that...