MCLE Opportunities

April 15, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Remote

ADI staff attorneys Charles Anderson and Donna Chirco will moderate a virtual discussion on drafting a more compelling and persuasive statement of facts. The interactive presentation, which includes polling questions and encourages audience participation, is relevant to both criminal and dependency appellate practitioners.

***This training is eligible for 1.0 hour of general MCLE credit and 1.0 hour of appellate specialization credit.***

Registration link

May 1, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.  | Remote

Justice Wilson will speak. The seminar will also include sessions on panel attorney safety, how the State Bar disciplinary system works, and useful ways of using AI ethically. There will be four hours of MCLE credits, including one hour of ethics and one hour of technology.

Advance registration is required.  Information Link

Schedule

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. A VIEW FROM THE BENCH by Justice Charles Wilson. Learn more about Justice Wilson, one of the newer justices to join the Sixth District Court of Appeal.

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. AI FOR APPELLATE ATTORNEYS: ETHICS, BEST PRACTICES, AND A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION by Panel Attorney Alexis Haller and Assistant Director Anna Stuart. The presentation will feature a practical demonstration of selected AI tools, along with a brief discussion of ethics, responsible use, and tips for using those tools in practice.

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. THE STATE BAR DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM: WHAT ATTORNEYS SHOULD KNOW by State Bar Deputy Trial Counsel Mary Oushana. The presentation will provide an overview of the State Bar discipline process, including the lifecycle of a complaint, common sources of attorney misconduct, ethical obligations under the rules, and standards used to determine sanctions.

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. PANEL ATTORNEY SAFETY by Staff Attorneys Randall Conner and Kevin Armonio. Learn a recipe to bake safety into your appellate practice. Topics include dealing with challenging clients, protecting personal information online, and when to reach out to SDAP about safety concerns.

1:05 – 1:15 p.m. PRESENTATION OF THE GERALD Z. MARER AWARD FOR PANEL EXCELLENCE

***SDAP has been approved by the California State Bar as an MCLE Multiple Activity Provider. This seminar series is approved for 4.0 hours of General MCLE credit, including 1.0 hours in ethics and 1.0 hour in technology.***

Unless otherwise noted these trainings are intended for criminal defense team members only, including attorneys, investigators, social workers, paralegals, mitigation specialists, law office professionals, and other job roles on defense teams.

Free Defend-On-Demand Online Courses
IDID is pleased to provide you with a catalog of the FREE courses we offer. These courses are self-paced, and most are eligible for self-study MCLE credit.

Link to catalog of free courses offered.

4/28/2026 – The ALPR Surveillance Boom: Understanding and Challenging Automated License Plate Readers in Criminal Investigations
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM – remote
Presented by:  LISA FEMIA, Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems are rapidly expanding across California and nationwide. These surveillance networks scan and store location data and other information on every passing vehicle, creating vast databases that track the movements of millions of drivers over time. This training will explain how ALPR technology works, examine its increasing use in criminal investigations, and discuss challenges to ALPR evidence on Fourth Amendment and other legal grounds.

Zoom Registration Link

***1.0 hour of MCLE and Legal Specialization Credit is offered for this training***

Racial Justice On-Demand Course
“OSPD is excited to open a new on-demand course on the Racial Justice Act. You will learn all the basics, refresh your knowledge, and stay up to date on RJA developments! These videos and written materials have been collected from around the state and are meant to help practitioners regardless of their experience in litigating the RJA.”

*Participants are able to earn up to 10 hours MCLE self-study and specialty credit.
Information & Registration Link

Defending Against SVP Commitments On-Demand Course
This course is intended for anyone in Indigent defense looking to learn more about Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) petitions and defending against these civil commitments. Those taking this course from start to finish can expect to spend approximately 9 hours to complete. However, registrants should also feel free to take this course at their own pace. Completion of this course earns 8.25 hours of general MCLE credits.

*Participants are able to earn up to 8.25 hours of MCLE self-study credit.
Information & Registration Link

Mental Health Diversion – New Resource Page
Introducing a continually growing set of resources on mental health diversion, Pen. Code 1001.36, now live on the Training SharePoint. Resources include recent mental health diversion case summaries, copies of pretrial writ appellate briefing in People v. Superior Court (Taylor) (issue: undue risk of danger to public safety) and Jones v. Superior Court (issue: wrongful termination of diversion), and a one-pager overview of the published Taylor opinion, including arguments prosecutors may raise and potential defense responses. Access to the Training SharePoint is limited to indigent defense practitioners. Access is free, but prior registration is required: https://bit.ly/OSPDReg.