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The clinic takes 8 students per semester, each semester. The clinic lasts one semester. Depending on enrollment, Professor Press may take a student or two as an “advance clinic” student. Placement is “competitive” in the sense that some semesters the clinic receives many more applicants than spots available.
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The AIC works on both DNA and non-DNA cases. Anyone who is currently incarcerated on a felony (with very few exceptions) is eligible for clinical assistance if they make a colorable claim of actual innocence.
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Students typically work on 5 cases per semester, which are all at various stages of investigation.
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It is possible that you may meet a client in prison, but not likely. The Actual Innocence Clinic has over 1600 requests from prisoners on which it is working, so faculty and students don’t often travel to prison. Communication with clients is done by writing.
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Document collection and review are the main components of the investigation process. Students will also speak with potential witnesses both by phone and in person, depending on location.
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There are no prerequisites.
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Students will learn how to effectively investigate and litigate claims of actual innocence in state post-conviction proceedings. Students will acquire specific knowledge, both through class readings and case work, on a range of topics including DNA testing, forensic science, constitutional claims for relief, and other topics which frequently arise in post-conviction litigation. Students will also learn how to effectively speak to and obtain information from witnesses, develop facts from investigation including how to obtain necessary documents and other evidence to support innocence claims, and to persuasively plead facts and use creative legal arguments to support claims of innocence.