Happy Friday and Happy Passover! This week we have a new tip, a new post from the School of Government and another community event worth noting, a couple of new resources, and approaching deadlines for and updates to training and job opportunities.
Tip of the Week – Discovery
Defenders – you have a statutory right to discovery in all of your juvenile cases (§7B-2300-2303). Don’t be afraid to use it! Some jurisdictions provide it without a motion, but it’s never bad practice to file your motion regardless. You can find a sample discovery motion and order here on our website.
From Around the Community
From the On the Civil Side blog, Jacqui Greene added a new post discussing the general statute concerning the confidentiality of juvenile court records. In this blog, Greene answers two of the most common questions she has received about the statute: “Who is the juvenile’s attorney?” and “What court can order release of a juvenile record?”. You can find the full post here.
In honor of the 52nd anniversary of In re Gault, the Supreme Court decision that ultimately allowed children the right to counsel, the National Juvenile Defender Center will be hosting “The Story of (In)Justice” in at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. on May 15. The event will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. and will feature and honor Yusef Salaam, a community activist and Central Park Five exonoree, and Sarah Burns, award-winning filmmaker and author of The Central Park Five. To register and learn more about this event, please check the link here.
New Resource
The Campaign for Youth Justice has recently released a new report. This document, titled “Alternatives to Adult Incarceration for Youth Charged as Adults“, offers insight into new laws and programs that defense attorneys can suggest in order to ensure youthful clients receive proper treatment. Please find the report here.
The National Juvenile Defender Center has released a new resource, “Juvenile Facility Checklist for Defenders: Advocating for the Safety and Well-Being of Young People“. This checklist is designed to allow defenders to evaluate the facilities where their clients may be held. You can view it here.
Job and Fellowship Opportunity
The deadline to apply for the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN)‘s 2019 Youth Justice Leadership Institute is Monday, April 29. The Institute is a year-long fellowship program focused on developing a strong base of well-prepared and well-equipped advocates and organizers who reflect the communities most affected by juvenile justice system practices and policies. This program is geared towards individuals of color working as professionals in the juvenile justice field, who may also be young adults who are system survivors themselves, or family members of someone in the system. Each year, 10 fellows from across the country are selected to develop their leadership and advocacy skills in the context of a robust curriculum around youth justice reform. The fellowship is completed concurrently with fellows’ current employment, so fellows do not have to leave their jobs to participate in the Institute. The fellowship includes two fully financed retreats, mentoring and frequent distance learning opportunities. Interested in learning more about the Institute, or know someone who might be? To learn more or apply, find additional info here.
The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights (LCCR) in New Orleans is seeking applications for the position of Staff Defense Investigator. The responsibilities of defense investigators include working closely with staff attorneys and other defense team members to determine the scope, timing, and direction of defense investigation; reviewing and analyzing discovery, including police reports and other documentation; locating and collecting records; serving subpoenas; taking detailed witness statements; and thoroughly documenting all work and information in detailed memorandum. The position requires a deep commitment to the defense of youth and to LCCR’s client-directed ethic. Applicants must submit a cover letter; a resume or CV, including an email address and daytime and evening telephone numbers; and a list of professional references, including the name, address, telephone number and, if available, email address for each reference. This posting will be open until Wed., May 1. This position will remain open until filled. For further details and to apply, please check here.
The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) is currently seeking applications for two positions: a Staff Attorney and a 2019-2020 Gault Fellow. The staff attorney is a mid-level position who will be responsible for conducting extensive legal research, analysis, and writing; will respond to requests for assistance from juvenile defense attorneys or stakeholders in the field; and may be called upon to provide training. The staff attorney will work in partnership with our leadership team, staff, and community to advance NJDC’s mission and programs. This position is open until filled. The 2019-2020 Gault Fellow is a one-year fellowship opportunity that will run concurrently with the first year of the 2019-2021 Gault Fellowship. The Gault Fellows collaborate with NJDC staff to develop legal and policy initiatives around a broad range of juvenile defense issues. The Fellows perform extensive legal research and analysis for NJDC and assist with the provision of training and technical assistance to the juvenile defense community. This position is an entry-level position intended for recent law school graduates and current 3L/4LEs (Class of 2018 or 2019). The application deadline is May 6, 2019. For more information, please go here.
The Forsyth County Public Defender’s Office is currently seeking a new assistant public defender. The selected candidate will represent indigent clients charged with misdemeanor criminal offenses and will be expected to analyze laws, facts, written documents, conduct legal research, develop litigation strategies. For the full job description and to apply, please go here.
Training
The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) is thrilled to be hosting the 2019 Juvenile Defender Leadership Summit in West Palm Beach, FL from October 25 – 27. As in years past, we look to our community of juvenile defense attorneys and juvenile policy advocates to help us build a vibrant and thought-provoking agenda that answers to the community’s needs. For more on the proposals, how to submit, and the selection criteria, please find more info here. All workshop proposals are due on May 6, 2019. If you have any questions about the proposal or the proposal process, please feel free to contact NJDC’s Director of Training and Technical Assistance Tim Curry by email or call 202-452-0010.
The online registration deadline for the 2019 Defender Trial School, cosponsored by the School of Government and the North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services, will be June 25. The event will be held Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 12, at the School of Government on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Defender Trial School participants will use their own cases to develop a cohesive theory of defense at trial and apply that theory through all stages of trial, including voir dire, opening and closing arguments, and direct and cross-examination. The program will offer roughly 29 hours of general CLE credit. The Defender Trial School is open to public defenders and a limited number of private attorneys who perform a significant amount of appointed work. IDS has expanded the number of fellowships available to cover the registration fee, but please note there is a limited number of fellowships. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please email Kate Jennings or Professor John Rubin or call 919-962-3287/919-962-2498. To register, find a fellowship application, see the agenda, or find any other information, please check out the course page here.
The Southern Juvenile Defender Center (SJDC) proudly announces the ninth annual Regional Summit, taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 7-8, 2019. You’re invited to come together with your colleagues from across the Southern states to participate in this one-of-a-kind program. If interested in attending, please register here for the Summit before May 13. For out-of-state attorneys, partial scholarship assistance is available to cover lodging expenses on first-come, first-served basis. Scholarship recipients must be willing to share a two-bed hotel room with another attendee and to pay $25 per night toward the cost of the room. To inquire about a scholarship, contact Randee J. Waldman and Richard Pittman. The deadline for scholarship applications is May 9th. CLE credits have been applied for. For more information on lodging, the agenda, and fees, please visit the Eventbrite page here.
The North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) Juvenile Justice & Children’s Rights, Education Law, Criminal Justice Sections, and Minorities in the Profession Committee are proud to present the Racial Equity Institute’s (REI) “Groundwater Presentation: An Introduction to Racial Equity”! This free event will take place on May 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bar Center (8000 Weston Parkway). More information and a link for registration will be available soon, but if you have any questions about the event, please contact Andi Bradford. (Please note that while the event is free for everyone to attend, no more than 175 attendees will be permitted, so please register early!)
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR)‘s Youth in Custody Certificate Program will be held July 22 – 26 at Georgetown University in partnership with Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators. This training is designed to help juvenile justice system leaders and partners improve outcomes for youth in custodial settings, covering critical areas including racial and ethnic disparities, family engagement, assessment, case planning, facility-based education and treatment services, reentry planning and support, and culture change.
That is all we’ve got for now. If social media is your thing, please check us out on Twitter and Facebook, like and follow us, and make sure to subscribe to the blog! Have a great weekend.
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