Students will help research how different Texas judges and counties implement their statutory authority to order indigent criminal defendants to repay the cost of public defense services provided to them. Students will begin by reviewing and collating responses to an informal survey of criminal defense practitioners. The project may grow to include survey development, legal research, and/or drafting resource materials for practitioners.
Organization
State Bar of Texas, Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters
The State Bar of Texas created the Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters to study the system of defense of indigent persons in criminal law matters in Texas, collect data and other information relevant to their defense, and to develop recommendations for action by the State Bar of Texas, the Texas legislature and all other entities that are or should be involved in the provision of quality representation to indigent persons involved in criminal matters.
Project Details
- Project Start Date
October 2020
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 10-12 hours total during the month of October for the initial phase of the project; if the project expands, students will be provided an estimate of the time required for an additional work and the option to continue their involvement
- Training
- Training and supervision will be provided on an ongoing basis by Prof. Andrea Marsh, who is the standing committee’s vice chair
- Skills used
- Legal research/writing
- Project location
- Virtual
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 2
- Class year preference
- 1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Strong research and writing skills required; students with an interest in public defense policy are encouraged to apply
- To Apply
- Submit email stating interest to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu; applications received by noon on Tuesday, October 13 will receive priority consideration