Due Process
The defender’s unique challenge is to be the advocate—the voice—of the child. To meet this challenge, and to be able to offer the court the expressed interests of the child, the juvenile defender must master a diverse set of skills to uphold core ethical obligations and to help clients navigate the complexities of the justice…
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, juvenile courts across the country have adopted video and teleconferencing to conduct virtual hearings. Although initially embraced as an emergency measure, virtual proceedings continue to be utilized even as jurisdictions increasingly lift restrictions on in-person hearings. This new “hybrid” model is being heralded as a groundbreaking way to…
As a general principle and under normal circumstances, the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) strongly opposes the use of remote hearings in juvenile delinquency proceedings. Remote hearings present serious due process concerns, as they create insurmountable barriers to effective assistance of counsel, harm attorney-client relationships and confidentiality, and lead to worse outcomes for youth. However,…
Creates a case for holding states liable for abdicating their duty to ensure that all children have zealous representation.
Young people and their families are routinely assessed fees, fines, and other costs in delinquency matters. These financial assessments are often ordered without an ability-to-pay analysis by the court. A young person’s inability to pay can lead to long-lasting consequences, increased recidivism, and youth and their families having to choose between paying fees or buying…
This article will explore the numerous endeavors to correct the harmful impact of mass incarceration by filing petitions for clemency, parole, juvenile lifer release, and compassionate release. In each practice area, we examine the law or statute creating such relief options, review the current landscape, and analyze denials from the courts or government officials involved…
The Court considers a question of first impression — whether a criminal defendant must be provided in-person interpreting services, rather than video remote interpreting (VRI) services, at his jury trial.
This brief highlights the United States Supreme Court’s most important language in landmark cases about young people’s rights. These quotes can be used to bolster the arguments and pleadings of juvenile defense attorneys and advocates as they defend youth caught in the legal system.
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