Taking part in the "Framing the Issues" panel at the recent conference on money bail are (from left) Tara Huffman, Tiffany Harvey, Paul DeWolfe, Shannan Wise and Zina Makar.
Check out the 'Money Bail and Its Role in Mass Incarceration' conference site and the related Resources page.
Faculty: Colin Starger and Zina Makar
The Pretrial Justice Clinic engages students in challenging one of the major sources of mass incarceration in Maryland – the unjust pretrial detention of poor people accused of crimes in Baltimore City. Students in the clinic will represent indigent criminal defendants in their efforts to challenge unfair and improper bail determinations. In collaboration with the Office of the Public Defender and under the supervision of a faculty member, students will screen cases for intake, represent clients in bail review hearings, file habeas corpus petitions and undertake appellate litigation. Students are responsible for all aspects of representing clients within the scope of challenging bail, including reviewing transcripts for intake, interviewing clients and family, conducting fact investigation, drafting litigation documents and conducting hearings. Students will also collect and analyze data to inform the development of new litigation and legislative strategies to support systemic efforts at law reform addressing mass incarceration.
Policies and Procedures:
The Pretrial Justice Clinic is a 6-credit clinic. Students will meet once a week as a group with faculty supervisors and additionally as needed depending on case work.
Prerequisites: First-year day courses; Professional Responsibility and Constitutional Criminal Procedure I
Policies and Procedures
The Pretrial Justice Clinic selects all of its students under the lottery system. Applications are due at specific dates the semester prior and follow set procedures.
Pretrial Justice Clinic Resources
The PTJC keeps a public resources page with a list of useful links to materials regarding pretrial justice and mass incarceration.