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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NACDL created The Commission to Reform the Federal Grand Jury, drawing on the expertise of a variety of professionals throughout the criminal justice system. Commissioners spent two years examining the need for changes in the grand jury process and produced a Federal Grand Jury Bill of Rights based on their findings. The ten reforms set forth in this Bill of Rights, largely echoing those proposed by the American Bar Association (ABA) more than 20 years ago, would restore balance to the grand jury process and better protect against unwarranted prosecutions. [Released May 2000]
In white and blue collar cases, prosecutors sometimes seek to admit evidence from nontestifying forensic experts through surrogate witnesses and documents in order to prevent defense attorneys from cross-examining the experts. The authors provide practical suggestions on how white collar practitioners may rely on the reinvigorated Confrontation Clause to preclude the admission of forensic evidence of nontestifying witnesses at trial.
Sen. Dale Bumpers (D-AR) introduced the Grand Jury Due Process Act (S. 2030) in May 1998. This legislation would have provided a right to assistance of counsel in the grand jury room. In July 1998, Bumpers introduced a more comprehensive reform bill called the Grand Jury Reform Act (S. 2289). In addition to providing a right to counsel's presence, this legislation would have required that grand jurors receive basic legal instructions, that prosecutors present any substantial evidence of innocence, and that defendants receive transcripts of certain grand jury testimony against them.
"Help! I've Been Subpoenaed! What Do I Do?" By Earle F. Kyle IV and Gerald B. Lefcourt, ACCA Docket October 2002
Letter to the Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Rules of Practice & Procedure regarding proposed rule changes to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
President Lisa Wayne's written statement to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee regarding advancing the science and use of forensics in criminal cases and investigations.
Materials for arguing against government informant and ex parte discussions regarding the conspiracy and closing off discovery regarding the informant's statements regarding the alleged conspiracy.
President John Wesley Hall's letter to the House Judiciary Committee leadership regarding journalists maintaining confidentiality of sources and the Free Flow of Information Act of 2009 (S. 448/H.R. 985).
Amicus curiae brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Defender Association of Philadelphia, and the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania in support of the petition for certiorari.
Amicus curiae brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in support of appellant.
Amicus curiae brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Brief of Amicus Curiae National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Favor of Appellee and in Support of Affirmance.
U.S. Supreme Court Reinforces Vitality of the Sixth Amendment's Confrontation Clause - Washington, DC (June 23, 2011) – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that “The Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause confers upon the accused ‘[i]n all criminal prosecutions, . . . the right . . . to be confronted with the witnesses against him.’”
Court Blocks Short-Cut to Death Row - Washington, DC (June 10, 1999) -- The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously agreed that using one suspect’s tape-recorded confession to help convict another suspect violates the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Lilly v. Virginia, 98-5881. Benjamin Lilly’s murder conviction and death sentence were reversed and returned to the Virginia courts to consider whether the constitutional violation was "harmless beyond a reasonable doubt." The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) filed...
American bar Association's Letter to Judicial Conference of the US - March 2, 2001
