“Children Are Different” and Their Lawyers Should Be Too

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DOJ Notice to Kentucky Governor

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DOJ Letter To Kentucky Governor Regarding Detention Facility Investigation May 15, 2024

National Youth Defense Townhall Notes

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On August 29, 2024, the Gault Center hosted a National Youth Defense Townhall focused on the role of youth defenders in transforming the juvenile legal system. The Townhall outlined a theory of change rooted in cultivating critical connections to harness our collective power to transform systems of harm and punishment. In attendance were nearly 200…

Missing the Mark: How Miranda Fails to Consider a Minor’s Mind

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Certain members of society are more vulnerable and require more protection than others; minors are but one example. Society recognizes the unique position of children and adolescents in other areas of law and investigatory procedures. That same recognition should be extended to custodial interrogations of minors charged with acts of juvenile delinquency so that appropriate…

Challenging the Status Quo: Mobilizing Youth Defense Teams to Uphold Youth Rights & Uproot Injustice

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This Racial Justice Webinar was hosted by the Gault Center and Georgetown Law’s Juvenile Justice Clinic & Initiative on May 29, 2024. The webinar focused on a collective call to action for the youth defense community to transform the juvenile legal system by centering youth and their constitutional rights to freedom, liberty, and equality. This…

NJDC virtual hearings & due process presentation

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On May 5, 2021, NJDC presented at an Illinois Summit about our report, Due Process in the Time of COVID. The presentation may be useful to other jurisdictions as they consider continuing to use technology to hold court hearings virtually as the pandemic wanes.

NJDC & Players Coalition team up to protect young people

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NJDC is proud to partner with the Players Coalition to eliminate barriers to that prevent young people from accessing their constitutional right to counsel.

Fees & Costs Judicial Training Webinar

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Devin McCourty – Support Youth Access to Counsel – NJDC

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New England Patriot Devin McCourty and Players Coalition team up with the National Juvenile Defender Center to raise awareness that far too many young people in juvenile court don’t ever get lawyers.

Anquan Boldin – The Cost of Justice for Youth

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“What we know is that when access to justice depends on a child’s ability to pay for their own defense, the disparities of class, race, and ethnicity are magnified.”

NJDC’s Remarks at Players Coalition Press Conference

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On January 30th, 2019, the Players Coalition Charitable Foundation unveiled its 2019 plan to impact racial and social inequality and also announced its 2018-19 support of six national non-profit organizations at a press conference. Players Coalition Co-Founders Anquan Boldin and Malcolm Jenkins presented the Coalition’s direction for the next year. At the press conference, NJDC…

Looking At Adolescence As An Opportunity

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Executive Director, Mary Ann Scali at John Jay College on Young People, Justice, and Defending Children

A Checklist to Assess the Presence of a Constitutional Violation under 34 U.S.C. 12601

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This checklist can be used to assess the presence of constitutional violations throughout the course of a client’s case. Please refer to the National Youth Defense Systems Standards and their accompanying User Guide for litigation strategies to challenge potential constitutional violations noted in this checklist.

National Youth Defense System Standards User Guide

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This User Guide provides advocates with a step-by-step outline of how to actualize the vision of the National Youth Defense System Standards to equip and invest in youth defense teams to fight for the liberation of all youth. The User Guide outlines constitutional rights detailed in the System Standards, provides a checklist to assess the…

Amicus Brief: In the Interest of D.C.M.

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Appeal from the Circuit Court of Pemiscot County, Division I Thirty-Fourth Judicial Circuit, Pemiscot County No. 18PE-JU00022 The Honorable W. Keith Currie, Judge

A Tale of Two Systems: An Assessment of Access to & Quality of Youth Defense Counsel in Utah

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The Utah assessment is the 29th statewide assessment of youth defense delivery systems the Gault Center has conducted. These assessments gather information and data about the structure and funding of defense systems and examine whether youth receive counsel at all critical stages, the timing of appointments, waiver of counsel, youth defense resource allocation, supervision and…

A Call to Expand Post-Disposition Representation of Youth in the Juvenile Legal System

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In 2020, after the District of Columbia Court of Appeals released its decision in In re N.H.M., expanding DC youths’ access to post-disposition counsel, Open City Advocates, which represented N.H.M., contacted the Gault Center to explore how to support the expansion of post-disposition representation in other jurisdictions. We reviewed analyses of post-disposition representation of youth,…

Statement of Interest in Hurrell-Harring

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Statement of Interest in Wilbur v. City of Mount Vernon

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Memorandum of Agreement Regarding the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County

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Ensuring Access Toolkit – Court Rule Change Sign-On Letter

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Ensuring Access Toolkit – Messaging

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Ensuring Access Toolkit – Sample Legislative Testimony

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Ensuring Access Toolkit – Sample Letter to the Editor

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Early Access to Counsel in Police Precincts Data Collection Practices & Recommendations

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