The student will assist in the analysis of criminal defense attorney caseload data reported to the state. The goal of the project is to identify the extent to which poor people accused of criminal offenses are represented by appointed attorneys with caseloads that exceed state caseload guidelines and that may compromise the quality of representation. The analysis will be made available to state and local policymakers considering limits on defense attorney caseloads.
Organization
Texas Fair Defense Project
The Texas Fair Defense Project works to improve the fairness of Texas’s criminal courts and ensure that all Texans have access to justice. TFDP focuses on improving the public defense system and challenging policies that create modern-day debtors’ prisons filled with poor people who cannot afford to pay commercial bond fees and post-conviction fines and costs.
Project Details
- Website
- http://www.fairdefense.org
- Project Start Date
- February 2015
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 15-20 hours total over the course of spring semester
- Training
- Training will be provided as needed; the supervising attorney will be available to answer questions throughout the project
- Skills used
- Policy research; data analysis
- Project location
- Off-site location of student’s choice
- Address
- 510 South Congress Avenue, Suite 208, Austin TX
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 1
- Class year preference
- 1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Student must be comfortable with Excel and data analysis
- To Apply
- Submit email stating interest to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu