Providing Access to Justice by Ensuring Oversight and Quality Control in California’s Appointed Appellate Counsel System.
Announcements
Which “Facility” is Your Client Housed in at the CDCR
The CDCR Inmate Locator now lists multiple housing facilities within certain prisons. To determine which specific facility your client is housed in, the most reliable approach is to call the CDCR Inmate Locator number (below) and provide the client’s CDCR number. They will give you the appropriate mailing address by P.O. Box. Each P.O. Box corresponds to a specific facility within the institution. However, CDCR does not disclose the facility letter or number directly, so that information must be inferred based on the assigned P.O. Box.
- CDCRs Identification Unit – (916) 445-6713, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST
State Bar Pro-Bono Reporting Requirement
Upon renewal this year, the State Bar is asking members to report how much pro bono work and reduced rate work, they have done each year in a section called “Pro Bono Hours and Reduced Legal Services Reporting.” This new reporting requirement results from legislation passed in 2024, seeking to encourage more attorneys to provide more voluntary pro bono legal services in civil cases. (Bus. & Prof. Code, §§ 6073.1, 6073.2.)
CAP has confirmed that the drafters of the new legislation were not aware of the population of lawyers that do appointed criminal, dependency and mental health cases. As a result, and unintentionally, these court-appointed attorneys are NOT EXEMPT from the “mandatory” reporting requirement. Whether hours worked on appointed cases qualify as “reduced fee legal services” will likely depend on the nature of your practice. This makes it somewhat challenging to figure out how to respond to the Bar’s questions on this topic.
CAP has also confirmed that while the legislation references mandatory reporting, at this time, there is actually no penalty for an attorney’s failure to complete any pro bono hours or failure to complete the annual report. (Bus. & Prof. Code, 6073.2, sub. (g) [“Failure of a licensee of the State Bar to comply with any of the provisions of this section is not grounds for disciplinary or administrative recourse.”])
For work done as a panel attorney, CAP recommends the panel attorneys:
- Check box 1 – “I am subject to this reporting requirement and will report the amount of pro bono and reduced fee legal services hours preformed in the last year in question 2, below,” and then
- fill in “None” in both section 2a and 2b, or check the boxes saying “I decline to answer.”
Additional information can be found on the State Bar website: Mandatory-Pro-Bono-Hours-Reporting-FAQ
Upcoming MCLE Opportunities
Challenging Mandatory LWOP as Cruel or Unusual Punishment: New Ideas and Strategies for Youthful LWOP Cases at Trial and Post-Conviction
April 14, 2026 – 12:15 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. – ZOOM
Hosted by OSPD
Presented by: KYLE BARRY, Director, State Law Research Initiative; REBECCA BRACKMAN, Assistant Public Defender, Contra Costa County Public Defender; JENNIFER HANSEN, Senior Staff Attorney, CAP-LA; BESS STIFFELMAN, Attorney, Law Office of Bess Stiffelman
Litigation strategies for challenging the imposition of mandatory LWOP for young adults, under 26, with a focus on 18-20 year old clients. Three other states have extended the protections of Miller v. Alabama to this group under their state constitutions. Join us for a discussion on how to advance similar arguments in California courts, pulling from juvenile brain development science and the premise that evolving standards of decency in California no longer tolerate racially disparate sentencing. You will leave with an understanding of the law and policy behind the arguments, a sample motion to use at your next sentencing or in post-conviction habeas proceedings, and the tools for setting your client’s claim up on appeal if denied.
***1.25 hours of MCLE credit and Legal Specialization Credit is offered***
Summer Internship Opportunities
CAP-LA is looking for rising 2L or 3L students with a strong interest in social justice, criminal defense, juvenile delinquency, or juvenile dependency law.
Up to four (4) summer interns in this 10-week, full-time internship will gain hands-on experience in appellate criminal defense and juvenile law. Working closely with staff attorneys, interns will review case records, draft legal memoranda, and contribute to active appellate cases, including writing an opening brief under supervision. The hybrid program includes in-person work at our downtown Los Angeles office and opportunities to observe both appellate and trial-level proceedings. This is an ideal opportunity for law students seeking practical experience in appellate work while deepening their understanding of the criminal justice and juvenile systems.
Applicants should have:
- Excellent legal research and writing skills,
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently,
- Ability to work collaboratively in a hybrid office environment, and
- Demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, and/or the rights of parents and children.
Attorneys Wanted
Join the Panel for Indigent Representation with Flexibility and Impact!
- Are you passionate about justice and ensuring fair legal representation for all?
- Are you a new attorney looking to start an appellate career with training opportunities and case assistance?
- Are you a seasoned attorney looking to shift gears and bring your expertise to a more flexible and fulfilling practice?
