Category: Client Support and Services

Request Defender Services Online

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

Reach out to us!

Our clients don't have to wait to reach out for help from the Defender Association! We offer services that you can request right here at PhillyDefenders.org:

Adult & Juvenile Criminal Record Expungements:

An expungement is an order that requires state and local criminal justice agencies to erase something from a record. We provide these services for our adult and youth clients. Click below to learn more about expungements.

 

ADULT RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

 

JUVENILE RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

 

Probation Termination

Defender clients can apply through our website to have their probation terminated.

 

PROBATION TERMINATION INFO & APPLICATION

 

Client Interviews

If you have an upcoming case and are represented by a Defender attorney, you can request an initial client interview

 

SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW

 

Philly Justice System Tutorial

If you or a loved one have an open case, watch this series of videos that explains the process from arrest to sentencing 

WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE

 

FY 2027 Budget Testimony

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

The Defender Association’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget testimony details the resources needed to sustain high-quality legal representation while addressing the growing demands of the justice system.

Our budget proposal highlights the essential role public defenders play in protecting rights, reducing unnecessary incarceration, and connecting clients to critical services. It outlines the key investments in staff, infrastructure, and programs like early bail review, reentry support, and the Wellness Court initiative needed to promote more equitable outcomes across the city.

 

A Guide for System-Involved Youth

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

Hi there,

 

If you are reading this, you may be involved in the foster care system, the juvenile justice system, or sometimes both. Being part of these systems can feel confusing, especially when you are hearing new terms and trying to understand how everything works.

 

You might hear words like court hearings, case plans, probation, or case managers. At times, it may feel like there are many people involved and many decisions being made. It can be difficult to know what everything means or what role each person plays.

 

This guide was created by young people who have experienced these systems themselves. It was designed to help clarify things and remind you that you are not alone in navigating this process. Inside this guide, you will find information about who may be on your team, who you can contact if you need help, advice from young people who have been through similar experiences, and tips that can help you
advocate for yourself along the way.

 

Most importantly, remember that your voice matters and deserves to be heard!

 

-Philly Defenders Youth Action Board-

 

Emergency Bail Hearings Safely Release 200 People

Posted on by fte2010

EBH has also helped reduce Philly’s prison population by over 1,000

 

PHILADELPHIA—One year after launching the Emergency Bail Hearing (EBH) initiative, the Defender Association of Philadelphia has helped more than 200 people safely return home while awaiting trial. Between October 7, 2024, and October 7, 2025, 230 people had their cases heard in Emergency Bail Hearings before Judge Karen Simmons. Of those, 216 people —93.9%— were ordered released. 

 

“This is what happens when justice system partners work together toward a shared goal of fairness and safety,” said Chief Defender Keisha Hudson, “The Emergency Bail Hearing program has given hundreds of Philadelphians a chance to fight their cases from home, stay connected to their families, and access the services they need to improve their lives.”

 

The EBH initiative is a collaboration between the Defender Association, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP), the First Judicial District (FJD), and the District Attorney’s Office (DAO). The program was launched to respond to the urgent need to safely reduce the city’s jail population amid severe staffing shortages and unsafe conditions.

 

Since the EBH program began, Philadelphia’s jail population has dropped dramatically — from 4,700 in October 2024 to under 3,600 since April 2025. While the Emergency Bail Hearings are only one part of this progress, they demonstrate what’s possible when justice system partners coordinate effectively.

 

“This program is proof that dialog and cooperation between Philly’s justice system stakeholders works,” said Hudson, “Working together to identify people who can be safely released is just one way we can create a more just and sustainable system for everyone.”

# # #

Join our Next Attorney Class!

Posted on by fte2010

We're now accepting applications for our Fall 2026 Attorney Class!

 

APPLY HERE

Overview

Start your legal career where you can make the most difference! Every year, the Defender hires a new class of attorneys—advocates who driven to have a positive impact on our clients from day one.

 

Each year, the Defender hires approximately 15 new attorneys to join our office in the fall. We will soon begin accepting applications for the Fall 2026 class. Eligible applicants include:

 

Individuals already admitted to practice in Pennsylvania

 

Law students who have completed their 2L or 3LE year and plan to sit for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam before September 2026

 

If you are still in law school and not yet eligible to apply for a staff attorney position, we encourage you to explore our Summer Internship Program. 

Our Process:

1. Resume, Cover Letter, and Transcript Review
We begin by collecting resumes, cover letters, and transcripts. Once they have all been reviewed, we'll move on to the next step.

 

2. Introductory Interview
Selected applicants will be invited to a brief interview (under 30 minutes) with the Director of Attorney Training and Recruitment or another senior team member. This may be conducted virtually if needed.

 

3. Written Follow-up Questions
Applicants advancing beyond the first interview will receive a short set of follow-up questions to complete in writing.

 

4. Panel Interview
Applicants selected for this round will participate in a simulation-style panel interview, held in person at the Defender Association.

 

The panel will include 2–3 senior attorneys portraying roles such as judge, prosecutor, and client.

 

This exercise is designed to reflect the courtroom advocacy and client-centered approach required of new attorneys at the Defender.

 

5. Final Interview

Applicants who excel in the panel interview will be invited to a final interview with members of the Defender executive team and others.

 

At this stage, we will request personal/professional references and an unofficial transcript.

 

Yes, this really is the final step!

 

Due to the volume of applications and the multi-step nature of our process, application review can take time. We appreciate your patience as we give each submission the careful attention it deserves.

Newly hired attorneys will take part in an intensive five-week training program that includes trial advocacy, courtroom observation, and instruction. Following training, new Defenders enter a structured rotation through trial and pre-trial units, starting in Municipal Court and culminating in jury trials in the Court of Common Pleas.

When does the application open?
We typically post the application in late August or early September to hire for the following fall. First-round interviews may take several weeks to begin after applications are submitted.

 

How many attorneys are hired each year?
While this may vary depending on the budget provided by Philadelphia City Council, we aim to hire at least 15 new attorneys for each Fall class.

 

Are only Fall Class positions available?
No. In addition to hiring for our Fall Class, we occasionally post openings for a Spring Class, and we regularly seek experienced attorneys to join our team. Visit our [Employment Opportunities Page] for current listings.

 

I didn’t attend a local law school and I’m not from Philadelphia. Should I apply?
 Absolutely. We’re looking for passionate, committed litigators—no matter where you’re from. If you’re ready to fight for our clients in court, we want to hear from you.

 

Do you hire directly into appeals or policy work?
All new attorneys begin their careers at the Defender by completing the trial/non-trial rotation. Opportunities in appeals or policy are considered after this rotation is complete.

 

Who can I contact with questions about my application?
Feel free to reach out to: Ben Jaye, Director of Attorney Training and Recruitment at or BJaye@philadefender.org.

We're now accepting applications for our Fall 2026 Attorney Class!

 

APPLY HERE

Immigrant Rights & Resources

Posted on by fte2010

Everyone in Philly has basic rights, included undocumented residents. We've provided some some basic information for our immigrant clients, families and communities to help you navigate what to do if you encounter ICE agents in Philly.

 

You can also download, print and share this info with your community: 

In English  |  In Spanish

Derecho a guardar silencio: No tienes que responder preguntas de la policía o de ICE sobre tu estatus migratorio, lugar de nacimiento u otros datos personales. Puedes preguntar con calma: “¿Estoy libre para irme?” Si dicen que sí, puedes irte. Si decides guardar silencio, dilo en voz alta: “Estoy ejerciendo mi derecho a guardar silencio” porque todo lo que digas puede usarse en tu contra.

 

Derecho a un abogado (y a un intérprete) en casos penales: Si la policía te arresta por un asunto penal, diles de inmediato que quieres hablar con un abogado. Tienes derecho a un abogado, y si no puedes pagar uno, un juez debe asignarte un defensor público. Si tienes el nombre o la tarjeta de tu abogado, dáselos a la policía; si no, pide una lista de servicios legales gratuitos. También tienes derecho a un intérprete en tu idioma para que puedas entender todo el proceso. No firmes nada ni aceptes ningún acuerdo sin que tu abogado esté presente.

 

Cómo conseguir un defensor público: Si te acusan de un delito y no puedes pagar por un abogado, tienes derecho a un defensor público. Sin embargo, la Defender Association solo puede representarse si un juez te asigna un defensor. Si te asignan uno, muestra su nombre o su tarjeta a la policía o al tribunal. Si no te asignan uno, la policía aún debe permitirte hacer una llamada gratuita. Pide una lista de organizaciones que ofrecen ayuda legal o apoyo a inmigrantes.

 

Derecho a un abogado en procedimientos de deportación: Si ICE te arresta por una violación migratoria, tienes derecho a un abogado, pero no se te asignará uno de forma gratuita. Debes conseguir tu propio abogado y cubrir los gastos legales. Si no tienes representación migratoria, pídele a ICE una lista de abogados de inmigración de bajo costo.

 

Si ICE llega a tu casa: No tienes que dejar entrar a agentes de inmigración a tu casa a menos que te muestren una orden de arresto válida firmada por un juez. NO abras la puerta para pedir la orden; mejor, habla con el agente desde la puerta y pídele que la pase por debajo o por la ranura del correo para que puedas leerla. Si tienes abogado, llámalo para que revise la orden contigo. Incluso en tu casa, mantienes tu derecho a guardar silencio. Si los agentes de ICE entran por la fuerza, mantén la calma, no resistas y di: “No doy mi consentimiento para que entren. Voy a guardar silencio. Quiero hablar con un abogado.”

 

Si ICE te arresta o detiene: Tienes derecho a guardar silencio y a llamar a un abogado. También tienes derecho a contactar al consulado de tu país (pide al oficial que los llame) y a recibir visitas de tu abogado, del consulado o de tu familia mientras estés detenido. No firmes ningún documento de inmigración (como una orden de deportación o una renuncia) sin hablar primero con un abogado. Asegúrate de decir claramente que deseas guardar silencio y hablar con un abogado antes de hacer o firmar cualquier cosa.

 

Si tus familiares quieren visitarte en detención migratoria: Ten en cuenta que cada centro de detención migratoria tiene reglas de visita diferentes. Tus familiares deben visitar el sitio web del centro para revisar los horarios de visita y luego llamar para confirmar los procedimientos. Tus familiares pueden averiguar dónde estás detenido visitando https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search. Una vez que sepan dónde estás, pueden encontrar las reglas de visitas para ese centro en: https://www.ice.gov/detention-facilities.


Derechos en la cárcel o en la corte: Incluso como detenido o prisionero, conservas protecciones fundamentales. No pueden torturarte ni darte castigos crueles o inusuales. Tienes derecho a practicar tu religión, a condiciones humanas y al debido proceso bajo la ley (por ejemplo, un juicio justo en la corte). El estado debe tratarte con dignidad y respeto a tus derechos humanos básicos.

 

Cómo un caso penal puede afectar tu estatus migratorio: En Filadelfia, la policía no pregunta por tu estatus migratorio cuando te arrestan o registran. En la mayoría de los casos, la policía y las cárceles de Filadelfia no retienen a personas solo porque ICE lo solicite. Pero aún así es importante tener cuidado. Un récord penal —incluso un simple arresto o cargos pendientes, aunque no hayas sido condenado— puede cambiar tu elegibilidad para alivios migratorios y aumentar tu riesgo de ser detenido por ICE. Es crucial hablar con tu abogado penal sobre tu estatus migratorio de inmediato, para que pueda ayudarte a protegerte de consecuencias migratorias.

 

Ayuda local y recursos para representación migratoria: Si necesitas un abogado de inmigración y/o recursos generales para tu caso migratorio, llama o visita una de estas organizaciones para referencias y apoyo:

 

Juntos (grupo de derechos de inmigrantes en Filadelfia); 

Community Legal Services (ayuda legal civil gratuita); 

HIAS Pennsylvania (servicios legales y sociales); 

Nationalities Service Center (ayuda legal civil gratuita y/o de bajo costo); 

Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians (servicios de apoyo para personas no ciudadanas en Pensilvania); y

Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (coalición de grupos que ofrecen servicios legales y extralegales para personas no ciudadanas en Pensilvania).

 

Defender Statement on ICE Arrests at the Courthouse

Posted on by fte2010

As ICE continues to stalk our courthouses and arrest our undocumented clients, the Defender Association of Philadelphia stands with community members demanding an end to fear, detention, and deportation. We are proud to represent all Philadelphians, regardless of immigration status—and we remain committed to defending those targeted by unjust and inhumane immigration enforcement.

 

But standing with immigrant communities requires more than words. Every day, undocumented residents are funneled into deportation proceedings—often without lawyers who understand both immigration and criminal law. Without legal representation, their futures, freedom, and families are at risk.

 

We are engaged in an ongoing effort to secure funding for a dedicated Immigrant Defense Unit. With the resources to build this team, we can ensure that no one in Philadelphia is left to face detention or deportation alone. As ICE detention and deportation increases here in Philadelphia,  if this city truly values due process and dignity, it must invest in real defense for our immigrant communities.

Statement on the Detention of a Defender Client by ICE

Posted on by fte2010

People living in Philadelphia should have the right to due process, regardless of their immigration status.

 

“Last week, after a Defender Association client’s case was dismissed at a preliminary hearing for lack of evidence, he was detained by law enforcement and transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even though there was no outstanding warrant.

 

“We’ve raised this matter with the Courts, Philadelphia Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, Law Department, and City Council, and we are in active communication with immigrant rights organizations across the city.

 

“The Defender Association has long held that no one should be subjected to immigration enforcement while seeking justice in our courts. What happened last week is a deeply troubling reminder of the real risks faced by non-citizens navigating our justice system. It underscores the urgent need for the city to invest in legal protections for immigrant communities, including the creation of a fully staffed Immigration Unit at the Defender Association, a core priority outlined in our FY26 budget request.

 

“We remain committed to protecting the rights of all Philadelphians and fighting for a justice system that is fair and safe for everyone, regardless of immigration status.”

 

# # #

Testimony: Diversion Programs in Kensington

Posted on by fte2010

 

On February 26, 2025 Chief Defender Keisha Hudson & Managing Director of Trials Andrew Pappas testified before City Council about how Philly can do better for people struggling with addiction. While programs like the Accelerated Misdemeanor Program (AMP) and Forensic Intensive Recovery (FIR) are helping, too many end up in jail instead of getting the help they need. Read the full testimony below, or download a printable version here.

Watch the testimony video below:

Good morning, Chairwoman Lozada and Members of the Committee. I’m Keisha Hudson, Chief Defender for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. On behalf of the Defender Association, I want to thank you for inviting us to testify today on the effectiveness of diversion programs for individuals suffering from substance use disorder in the Kensington area.

 

In my 22 years as a public defender, I have represented countless individuals whose struggles with addiction led them into the criminal legal system—many of them had no opportunities for treatment extended to them until they were enmeshed in the criminal legal system. I have seen firsthand how our clients get into the system, what solutions work, and how we can sustain, expand, and strengthen the diversion programs that will help them break the cycle of addiction, succeed in recovery, and successfully reenter their communities. 

 

Accelerated Misdemeanor Program:

 

The Accelerated Misdemeanor Program (AMP) is a post-arrest diversionary program that is available for eligible arrestees with no or minimal criminal histories who are facing charges for non-violent misdemeanors. This program is a collaborative effort between our office, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Public Health Management Corporation, the Philadelphia Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office. In November 2024, stakeholders agreed to expand eligibility criteria, allowing for more individualized participant assessments. AMP Court runs weekly and recent investments from city council, led by Councilmember Squilla and supported by many members of this committee, have improved our capacity to provide direct legal services and connection to treatment providers.

 

In the last four months (October 2024 - January 2025), we observed 446 referrals to AMP and only one revocation from the program. This high rate of success is in part attributable to the treatment providers presence in the courtroom, real time updates on program availability, and the direct transportation to treatment services they provide. Our office is also physically present to provide warm hand-offs for our clients directly to the treatment providers. 

 

Forensic Intensive Recovery (FIR) Program:

 

The FIR program was established in 1991 in response to a federal consent decree related to overcrowding in Philadelphia jails. FIR referrals were implemented as a population reduction strategy by removing those in need of treatment. While an alternative to incarceration program, and not a true diversion initiative, this program is typically discussed within the context of diversionary programming in the city.

 

Essentially, individuals who are incarcerated are referred for evaluation by a FIR evaluator to see if they qualify  for release in favor of placement at a substance abuse or mental health treatment facility. The evaluators are contracted by the City of Philadelphia to conduct the evaluations, generate and distribute reports, and assist in matching the client with an appropriate level of care. Our office processes all FIR referrals for our clients as well as those referred by private and court appointed attorneys.

 

As a result of our attorneys direct experience representing clients, we decided to take a closer look at the wait times people referred to the FIR program experience. We looked at referrals made from April to June 2024.  During that time period 654 FIRs were filed for 615 unique individuals. For 37 individuals, more than 1 FIR was filed on their behalf during an identical incarceration event so we only counted one FIR. For 2 individuals, more than 1 FIR was filed but during different incarceration periods, so we counted them as two unique referrals. So our final referral count was 617 FIRs for 615 individuals. 

 

Our review revealed that on average, it takes over two months for incarcerated people referred to FIR to be released from the jail. On average it takes 35 days from referral for the incarcerated person to be evaluated and then another 12 days for the report to be generated and circulated to justice system stakeholders. In 18% of referrals (113 individuals), the clients were released from the jail prior to their evaluation and were never evaluated by FIR. This is a missed opportunity to intervene. While we don’t usually discuss re-arrest, 45 of the clients (39%) released prior to their evaluation were subsequently re-arrested and re-admitted to the jail within 6 months. 

 

This process is simply not a sustainable solution to the substance use crisis we are facing in the city right now. Here at Defender, our social services staff are able to connect clients with evaluations and appropriate placement more effectively and efficiently than this process. But with limited social service advocates, serving all of our clients’ social services needs, we do not have the capacity to provide direct case management and coordination services to meet this need.

 

An additional investment in our office to expand our social services capacity to better serve all of our clients with substance use and behavioral health needs, especially those residing in or arrested in Kensington would go a long way to reducing the jail population, reducing recidivism, and offering the types of interventions people need when they are in the best position to voluntarily accept help and participate in treatment.

 

The Neighborhood Wellness Court (NWC) represents an important acknowledgment that substance use disorder is a public health crisis, not a criminal justice issue. But it ignores some of the more complicated realities of addiction and recovery. In theory, NWC offers participants an opportunity to engage in treatment and social services instead of incarceration. While this approach has the potential to help some individuals stabilize their lives, the approach relies on the threat of prosecution for a summary offense, without more, to incentivize participation.

 

Our experience as defense attorneys working with this particular population tells us that, as currently constructed, its impact will likely be limited by several key challenges:

 

  • Capacity Constraints – Wellness Court serves too few people. Last year alone, the Defender Association handled more than 1,500 new adult cases linked to arrests near Kensington & Allegheny, yet only a small fraction of those individuals would be able to access this program.

 

  • Uneven Access to Immediate Treatment Services – While most defendants can be connected to services, individuals who are not eligible (due to out of county warrants, violations of probation, wanted cards, etc) are unable to access same day services because they are sent to State Road. This not only impedes the person’s direct access to treatment but also increases the prison population.

    This isn’t just an increase in the number of people—it’s an increase to the prison’s burden of caring for people with complex medical needs, at a time when severe staffing shortages at the jails make it difficult to meet basic care standards. If diversion is to work, it must be swift and seamless—every day in jail increases the risk of relapse, overdose, and further destabilization. It also strains our city’s resources as our jail is already embroiled in federal litigation over conditions of confinement.

 

  • Lack of Holistic Support from Trusted Resources – To its credit, the NWC has leveraged the relationships established through the Police Assisted Diversion program and partnered with a number of well respected treatment providers who offer a spectrum of services in the city.

    The challenge is that these providers focus solely on substance abuse treatment, neglecting clients’ legal issues, housing needs, and underlying disabilities. Substance use and mental health treatment needs are only part of the myriad challenges faced by many of our clients. The ramifications of their legal, family, or housing situations can be overwhelming, and often cause them to miss treatment or court scheduled court dates.

    Investing in our office to provide social services, case management and legal representation could increase engagement in treatment, reduce non-appearance at subsequent court events, and prevent subsequent engagement with the criminal legal system. Peer Navigators from our office could also be used to help increase voluntary attendance for treatment and other services.

 

  • Limitations On Eligibility for Transitional Housing  – The Riverside Wellness Village is exemplary in its recognition that recovery cannot happen without stable housing. It addresses the very real issue that many participants leave treatment with nowhere to go, making their path forward far more difficult. However, in recent weeks, we’ve seen that limiting these beds to people leaving inpatient facilities prevents those whose main issue is housing—not substance use—from accessing them until a permanent solution is found.

    The beds are available, but homeless individuals processed through Wellness Court for trespassing are not permitted to stay there and are instead directed to apply for housing through DBHIDS, a process which can take 3 to 4 weeks for placement.

 

  • Legal Barriers – While wellness court provides an alternative to incarceration, it still requires individuals to enter the court system first. We need to rethink diversion as a truly pre-arrest intervention. This avoids the trauma of arrest for the clients but also reduces the administrative burden on officers who are actively present and patrolling the Kensington neighborhood. This puts patrol officers in a challenging role as both social worker and police officer.  By contrast, teams of social workers, peer navigators, and those conducting outreach outside the criminal justice system, could accomplish the same goal pre-arrest by making same-day, immediate, voluntary and direct connections to people at risk for arrest.

 

Beyond Wellness Court: A Smarter Strategy 

 

With over two decades of experience defending people in this system, I can say with certainty: we cannot arrest or prosecute our way out of this crisis. We need an approach that prioritizes treatment first, not court first.

 

Instead of relying solely on post-arrest diversion, we should be investing in:

 

  • A Kensington Pretrial Diversion Hub – A dedicated resource center in Kensington where individuals can access treatment, housing, and behavioral health support before they face criminal charges. The facility that the city established at 265 E. Lehigh Avenue can easily serve this purpose. If councilmembers have not yet toured the facility, I’d encourage you to do so. But a physical building alone is only one component necessary for this effort to succeed. If we do not incorporate basic tenets of public health, prevention, protection, and promotion of health and wellness, into substance use disorder treatment, we will not achieve the long term goal of eradicating addiction and addressing quality of life for all Philadelphians, especially residents of Kensington.

 

  • Sustained Early Bail Review Services – With the support of the MacArthur Safety and Justice initiative, our office redesigned our interview process and dedicated experienced attorneys to staff early bail review hearings. These hearings prevent unnecessary incarceration and ensure people who may need additional support–like substance abuse treatment–have access to them immediately upon their release.Over the last five years, we’ve relied on our direct experience litigating these hearings to collaborate with the other stakeholders to establish reasonable program criteria and avoid the unnecessary pretrial detention of people who can be safely released. While all of the other justice system stakeholders have sustained funding from the MacArthur initiatives, Defender’s funding has not been sustained. Despite the city’s lack of commitment, we’ve expanded our decarceration efforts to include emergency bail hearings, reducing the prison population and decreasing reliance on FIR as an alternative to incarceration.

 

But we need to couple these early bail review hearings with meaningful opportunities for diversionary programming. We could accomplish this by expanding eligibility for

 

  • Housing as the Foundation – Without housing, every diversion effort will fail. We need to expand transitional and permanent supportive housing tied to diversion programs so that it is not limited to only those people with the most significant treatment needs. Furthermore, we need to prioritize all justice system-involved people for housing assistance. Instead of serving as an additional barrier to housing, an arrest, particularly for something like trespass, could and should signal that this person is most in need of housing support.

 

  • Community-Led Solutions – The most effective interventions are those that do not require court involvement at all. We need more investment in harm reduction, peer-led outreach, and direct connections to treatment services.


Conclusion

Our office’s experience in representing clients from marginalized and vulnerable populations have shown us firsthand the consequences of policies that rely on punishment rather than support. I myself have represented people whose struggles with addiction were met with incarceration instead of intervention. And I have seen how diversion—when done right—can change lives.

 

The Defender Association is committed to working with City Council, the courts, and community partners to implement meaningful solutions. But we must recognize that real diversion happens outside of the courtroom. If we want to reduce crime, save lives, and strengthen our communities, we must move away from criminalization and toward treatment, housing, and real public health responses. This includes prevention initiatives that address root causes of substance use, including mental health issues and exposure to trauma. It includes investing in protections for vulnerable people and creating meaningful emergency response plans for those whose involvement in the criminal legal system is tied to substance use disorder. It also promotes health and wellness by removing barriers linked to poverty, racism, and gender discrimination.

 

Thank you again for including the perspective of Defender Association in this critical conversation. My team and I welcome any questions you may have today or in the near future.

Request Defender Services Online

Posted on by fte2010

Reach out to us!

Our clients don't have to wait to reach out for help from the Defender Association! We offer services that you can request right here at PhillyDefenders.org:

Adult & Juvenile Criminal Record Expungements:

An expungement is an order that requires state and local criminal justice agencies to erase something from a record. We provide these services for our adult and youth clients. Click below to learn more about expungements.

 

ADULT RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

 

JUVENILE RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

 

Probation Termination

Defender clients can apply through our website to have their probation terminated.

 

PROBATION TERMINATION INFO & APPLICATION

 

Client Interviews

If you have an upcoming case and are represented by a Defender attorney, you can request an initial client interview

 

SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW

 

Philly Justice System Tutorial

If you or a loved one have an open case, watch this series of videos that explains the process from arrest to sentencing 

WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE

 

Join Our Youth Action Board!

Posted on by fte2010

Are you 18-23, currently system involved, or have you transitioned out of the system? Do you have something to say? Apply to join our Youth Action Board!

 

The Youth Action Board (YAB), is a youth-led collective that aims to amplify the voices of older youth (ages 18-23) who have experienced the foster system. Together, our mission is to evoke change and bring awareness to the issues older youth face as they transition out of the system.

 

The YAB advocates for:

 

-Raising awareness for youth and connecting them with important services;

-Dismantling systemic injustice and improving legal representation;

-Encouraging services that are culturally aware, trauma informed, and courteous;

-Conflict resolution and effective communication; and

-Promoting leadership, story telling, and uplifting

 

The YAB will campaign, organize, and advise on issues strictly impacting Older Youth in child-serving systems. This group will guide how to better serve and represent youth in ways that respect their agency.

 

This is an opportunity for you to be heard and to be at the forefront of making a difference! Apply to be a part of the Youth Action Board!

 

Fill out the Youth Action Board application here

 

Download and share the Youth Action Board Flyer

 

 

Peer Advocate Request Form

Posted on by fte2010

Defender Association's Peer Advocates are "veterans" of Philadelphia's dependency system.

 

They work alongside attorneys to help young clients navigate often complex systems to help them access housing, education and other critical services they'll need as they transition out of the dependency system and into adulthood. 

 

Watch the video below to hear from our Peer Advocates about the services they provide for our young clients.  Then, click here if you want a Peer Advocate assigned to your case.

Would you like a peer advocate assigned to your case? Click the button below to fill out a quick Peer Advocate request form.

 

Fill out the request form

Defender 90th Anniversary Highlights

Posted on by fte2010

On April 4, 2024, we’re celebrating 90 years of representing Philly adults and youth with a very special event at the Constitution Center. All are welcome to attend and celebrate along with the Defender’s past and present leaders, and many more elected officials and luminaries who began their careers at the Defender Association.

 

Help us celebrate 90 years of public defense in Philly, as we look to grow the next generation of Philly Defenders! Click the links below to learn how you can take part in the celebration!

 

Details, tickets and sponsorship information here

 

April is 2nd Chance Month!

Posted on by fte2010

April is 2nd chance month, and at the Defender, giving our clients a second chance at a better future is a year-long mission! In addition to providing high-quality legal representation in the courtroom, we offer opportunities and information on criminal record expungements and probation terminations. 

Adult Criminal Record Expungements

Expungement request are the primary request from our Philadelphia community. At every community event we attend we offer one-on-one expungement clinics with our staff attorneys. In 2019 alone, we filed 405 new expungement petitions and saw 438 of our petitions granted by the courts.

 

An expungement is an order that requires state and local criminal justice agencies to erase something from a record. We offer our clients the opportunity to apply for criminal record expungements using via our website. Defender attorneys also do in-person expungement applications at public events like Defender Days, criminal justice workshops, block parties and more.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT ADULT CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

Juvenile Record Expungements

Expungement request are the primary request from our Philadelphia community. At every community event we attend we offer one-on-one expungement clinics with our staff attorneys. In 2019 alone, we filed 405 new expungement petitions and saw 438 of our petitions granted by the courts.

 

An expungement order directs the court to treat the criminal conviction as if it had never occurred, removing it from a person’s public record. These court orders are not automatic – a petition must be filed to start the process. The Defender Association files these petitions for our clients.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT JUVENILE EXPUNGEMENTS

 

Probation Termination

The Defender offers probation termination services for clients. To be eligible, clients MUST BE COMPLIANT with their probation conditions, including reporting to their probation officer, attending mandated treatment appointments and paying fines and fees (if able).

 

APPLY FOR PROBATION TERMINATION HERE

Press Release: Pushing Back on Misleading Crime Narratives

Posted on by fte2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2024
PRESS CONTACT: Rabiah Alicia Burks, r.burks@nlada.org, (202) 452-0620

 

Public Defense Chiefs Push Back on Misleading Crime Narratives that Are Driving Policy This Election Year

Speaking at Gideon Day press briefing, chiefs encourage reporters to speak to public defenders for better-informed stories, and discuss ways public defenders promote community safety.

 

WASHINGTON — Chief public defenders from across the country gathered today for a discussion on the state of public defense during a crime-focused election year. Co-sponsored by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA), the panel discussion commemorated Gideon Day, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, which recognizes the constitutional right to public defense for people who cannot afford counsel. A recording of the event can be found here, and a fact sheet/resource guide for reporters is available here.

 

“Public defender offices across the country are wholly under-resourced, while prosecutors and law enforcement are funded at several times the rate, and this funding discrepancy leads to greater disparities and injustices within the legal system,” said April Frazier Camara, president and CEO of NLADA. “Misleading narratives on crime and safety are fueling these policy decisions. Public defenders are joining forces to fight back against these fear-based tactics and to combat these practices.”

 

The discussion was moderated by Civil Rights Corps Founder Alec Karakatsanis, a civil rights lawyer and former public defender who has written extensively about “copaganda,” or the manipulation of media by police and prosecutors. 

 

“Public defenders are dedicated to safe communities, and their voices should not go unheard in the national conversation about crime and community safety,” said Karakatsanis. “The extraordinary focus by the media on low-level-crimes reported by police has the effect of manipulating what all of us think and feel are the most urgent problems in our society.  It distracts us from the greatest dangers that we face and obscures safety solutions right in front of our eyes. Public defenders can be an invaluable counterbalance to that.”

 

“Providing indigent individuals with fierce representation in court itself fosters safer communities—by guarding against wrongful convictions and by advocating against incarceration, which is incredibly destabilizing for families and communities,” said San Francisco elected Public Defender Mano Raju. “Our office also provides services that address the root causes of interactions with the criminal system, such as our MAGIC youth programs, our College Pathway Project, which helps formerly incarcerated people go to college and our End the Cycle program, which connects newly arrested people to services.”

 

Many reporters accept without question the information and crime statistics that police and prosecutors give them, and in turn, their stories are used to bolster policy decisions that benefit law enforcement and drive incarceration. Journalists do a disservice to their readers when their stories are more about feelings than facts, according to the panel.  

 

“We have seen this play out in New York State, where the Governor has rolled back our historic bail reform law on multiple occasions,” said New York County Defender Services Executive Director Stan Germán. “Politicians have succumbed to a fear-mongering campaign launched by proponents of mass incarceration rather than focus on the data analysis which clearly demonstrated the success of a bail law that reduced the racial and wealth disparities in our criminal legal system.”

 

Funding is an ongoing struggle for public defender offices in large cities as well as rural areas, despite the fact that basic fairness should dictate that prosecutors and defenders receive equal funding. 

 

“In most states, funding for DAs is two to one compared to public defenders, dollar for dollar,” said Alameda County Chief Defender Brendon Woods. “That’s not a fair fight. Another significant factor is the work police departments do in support of the prosecution, essentially providing a free investigatory wing to every prosecutor’s office in the state. If you fund systems that incarcerate people, more incarceration will result. And incarceration drains public resources away from solutions that address the root causes of crime like housing, jobs, and education.”

 

“One of our biggest challenges is retaining experienced attorneys, who often leave public defense for better-paying jobs in other sectors. If we had pay parity with other legal offices, we’d be able to keep more veteran lawyers, which means better representation to our clients,” said Defender Association of Philadelphia Chief Defender Keisha Hudson. “I think public defenders have tremendous value to the media because we have the insight and data to share the full story of our clients—not just as suspects, but as full human beings.”

 

“In rural communities, recruitment is challenging due to vast legal deserts. A shortage of lawyers makes workloads for existing public defenders extremely high,” said Iowa State Public Defender Jeff Wright. “We have difficulty competing with the salaries prosecutors and other legal professions are able to offer.” 

 

With greater funding parity, public defender offices are better able to engage in community outreach and to expand programs that prevent people from being funneled into the system in the first place, said Orleans Public Defenders Director of Community Outreach and Lead Organizer Robert Jones.

 

“Our clients are the community, so we need to be part of that,” said Jones, who is formerly incarcerated. “Community members need to see PDs everywhere. Our office partners with community organizations to assist people when they are in the criminal legal system, and moreover to keep them from having contact with the system.” 

 

This press briefing was sponsored by the NLADA, the American Council of Chief Defenders, the Black Public Defender Association, the Gault Center, San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, Defender Association of Philadelphia, the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office, Orleans Public Defender’s Office, and New York County Defender Services. This event is part of NLADA’s ongoing initiative, “Fighting for the AccUSed: The Public Defender Campaign for Safe, Secure Communities.” The Fighting for the AccUSed campaign is changing perceptions about public defenders in communities and the press. It also seeks to build public support for the passage of the federal EQUAL Defense Act (HR 3758) and the Quality Defense Act (S.850), and urges the Biden Administration to support other federal, state, and local efforts to fund public defense.

 

Public defenders are integral parts of the communities they serve and include social workers, investigators, community engagement professionals, and lawyers. Nationwide, about 80 percent of individuals who are accused of crimes in the legal system are represented by a public defender. 

 

The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), founded in 1911, is America’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel. NLADA has pioneered access to justice at the national, state and local levels, playing a leadership role in the creation of public defender systems and other important institutions from The Sentencing Project to the Legal Services Corporation. A leader in the development of national standards for civil legal aid and public defense, NLADA also provides advocacy, training, and technical assistance for equal justice advocates across the country.

 

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Gideon 60/Defender 90 CLE Workshops

Posted on by fte2010

March 13, 3:00 pm:

Join us in March for a series of CLE workshops celebrating 60 years of Gideon v. Wainwright and 90 Years of the Defender Association of Philadelphia!  

Check out any—or all!—of the workshops. CLE and CEU credits are available!

History of Social Services and Mental Health at the Defender

 

Moderated by: James Haley

 

Panelists:

Kia Mayes

Erica Berson

Gregg Blender

Luna Pattela

Dana Cook

Candy Chang

History of Representation of Jailed Clients  by the Defender Association: From “Inmates” to “Incarcerated People”

 

Moderated by: Tom Innes

 

Panelists:

Ben Lerner

Melanie Young

Meredith Zeitzer

History of Homicide Representation in Philadelphia County:  Before the Defender Homicide Unit; The Sea Change; Homicide Defense Going Forward

 

Moderated by: Tom Innes

 

Panelists:

Ben Lerner

Dan Stevenson

Helen Marino

Everett Gillison

Saturday, December 9: Expungement Clinic

Posted on by fte2010

WHEN: Saturday, December 9  |  12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Tustin Recreation Center, 5901 W Columbia Ave, Philadelphia

 

This Saturday, the Defender Association, is partnering with the Philadelphia Technician Training Institute, Free Library of Philadelphia and the ReAwakening Agency for a

 

Record Expungement Clinic and Resource Fair

 

The event features information on re-entry programs, employment assistance, healthcare and community services, and FREE criminal record expungement help from Defender Association attorneys.

 

Download the event flyer for details

Video: Why Black & Brown Public Defenders are Crucial

Posted on by fte2010

We represent 70% of the people accused of crimes in Philadelphia. An overwhelming majority of these are Black and Brown people. Having Black & Brown attorneys and staff is a crucial part of ensuring that we not only understand their legal cases, but who they are as people and the communities they come from.

 

Watch this amazing video produced by Defender Mitigation Specialist Donte Green to hear from Defender attorneys and staff about why you should join our team if you want to make a difference in the lives of our BIPOC clients.

 

See Current Job Opportunities

Press Release: Defender, Partners for Justice Collaboration

Posted on by fte2010

PHILADELPHIA–The Defender Association of Philadelphia is partnering with national nonprofit Partners for Justice (PFJ) to further expand its practice and take on more extensive wrap-around service capacity in the community. The partnership, which officially began on July 17, will enable the Defender to bring on a team of non-attorney advocates who will help clients navigate and mitigate the damage caused by the criminal legal system, ensuring more people are able to move forward from a criminal case with their futures intact. 

The collaboration between the two organizations began this month when three PFJ client advocates began two-year stints with the Defender Association. The advocates, working within the Defender Association’s juvenile and adult divisions, will assist attorneys with mitigation and aid clients with ancillary matters, from youth mentoring and assistance with school evictions to re-entry work and parole planning. 

“Our partnership with PFJ is critical to our mission to provide client-centered advocacy that not only includes providing legal services, but connecting clients to supportive services and creating pathways to social and economic stability,” said Chief Defender Keisha Hudson.

Partners for Justice was founded in 2018 with a mission to transform public defense and has since expanded to 24 locations across the nation. Philadelphia is PFJ’s second location in the commonwealth, following a 2022 partnership with the Delaware County Public Defender’s Office, and third location regionally with a site in Delaware. Since PFJ was founded, client advocates have connected thousands of clients annually with supportive services and reduced jail time by finding appropriate and effective non-carceral alternatives.

“We’re incredibly excited to collaborate and help the Defender Association level up their already amazing services, said Emily Galvin-Almanza, PFJ’s Founder and co-Executive Director, “Public defenders are most visible as essential front-line workers in our legal system, but looking at the work they actually do—helping folks with housing, employment, substance use and mental health treatment, benefits access—it becomes clear that they’re actually integral to our public safety, public health, and economic infrastructure as well.”

Hudson said Collaborating with PFJ will help the Defender Association achieve its goal of expanding services provided to its child and youth clients. “We were very specific about centering our young clients in our budget request to the City of Philadelphia. Bringing in PFJ Advocates is one of the ways we’re investing the additional resources we received this year from City Council.”

Galvin-Almanza: “When public defenders partner with our Advocates, clients have the resources and tools to break the cycle of poverty, criminalization, and incarceration Investing in public defenders is investing in the safety of our communities and investing in individual prosperity.”

For information about this partnership, read BillyPenn’s coverage here.

# # #

Questions about Philly’s Justice System? Ask a Defender!

Posted on by fte2010

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Want one of our attorneys to answer your question on social media? Ask a Defender! 

Here’s an opportunity to send us video selfie of you asking general questions about the courts, life as a public defender, or anything you wanted to know about our criminal justice system!* 

Just click here to complete the question form and upload your video.

Don’t want to do a video? No problem! You can just type in your question, and we’ll respond!

Once we answer your question, we’ll post it on our social channels (IG, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok) – @phillydefenders. 

Want us to tag you? Be sure to include your social media handles on the form. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1683656317064{background-color: #ffffcc !important;}”]*NOTE: The answers shared on “Ask a Defender” is NOT LEGAL ADVICE OR COUNSEL. We’re just providing general answers to people’s questions about our justice system. If you have specific question about an active criminal case, Send an email to contact@philadefenders.org or call 215-568-3190[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1683653633955{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”40″][ult_buttons btn_title=”ASK YOUR QUESTION HERE” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FoYGQ5XHJup9r7cF9A||target:%20_blank|” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#00b8ff” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_hover=”ubtn-bottom-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#00b8ff” btn_title_color_hover=”#ffffff” icon_size=”32″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#00b8ff” btn_color_border_hover=”#ff5100″ btn_border_size=”1″ btn_radius=”3″ btn_font_family=”font_family:Poppins|font_call:Poppins|variant:900″ btn_font_style=”font-weight:900;” btn_font_size=”desktop:16px;”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1683655262214{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #0061b9 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]You can also “Ask a Defender” in-person! We plan to have the “Ask a Defender” team set up at the Defender table at future community events to collect your questions! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Defender Association FY24 Budget Testimony

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1682711248527{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]On April 25, 2023, Chief Defender Keisha Hudson testified before City Council to advocate for an additional $5 million budget increase for FY2024.

You can download the full written testimony here.

Here is the slide presentation of our testimony[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1682711176785{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #263797 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

More: Watch Chief Defender Keisha Hudson’s April 25 testimony below:

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April 29: Level Up ⬆ Southwest!

Posted on by fte2010

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Join on Saturday, April 29 at The Common Place/Salt & Light for “Level Up Southwest!”

Defender attorneys will be providing #expungement services* at this #community event, which also features:

  • A WILLS WORKSHOP
  • EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
  • PROPERTY TAX HELP
  • U.S. CITIZENSHIP ELIGIBILITY SCREENING
  • CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES; and
  • FREE FOOD!

Pre-registration for the record-clearing workshop is encouraged, but NOT REQUIRED.

Click here to download the event flyer. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Social Workers Break Barriers!

Posted on by fte2010

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During Social Work Month 2023, watch and learn how the Defender’s team of social workers breaks barriers for our clients and their families!

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width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Request a Defender for Your Event!

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”FILL OUT OUR COMMUNITY EVENT INFO FORM” color=”primary” size=”lg” align=”center” button_block=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FUymYaW6wNjBCmDyz6||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our attorneys and staff are in the community, doing everything from conducting “Know Your Systems” workshops to taking criminal record expungement applications. You can join us at our own events, like Shop Talks and Community Office Hours, or find our table at block parties and other community events.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_height=”yes” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^147294|url^https://2010dev.devtest.center//var/www/2547a8b6-1cf8-41ec-86ac-dcb04782c388/public_html//www/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/A1439611-53E8-4066-A44A-2556950A3E5F.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^A1439611-53E8-4066-A44A-2556950A3E5F|description^null” bg_image_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_image_size=”contain” bg_img_attach=”fixed”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”300″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you or your organization has an upcoming event, and you would like the Defender Association to provide resources and info for your attendees, please fill out our request form so we can add it to our calendar![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”FILL OUT OUR COMMUNITY EVENT INFO FORM” color=”primary” size=”lg” align=”center” button_block=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FUymYaW6wNjBCmDyz6||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Defender Days

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569066856{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676571156796{background-color: #0061b9 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Defender Association and Councilmember Cindy Bass have partnered to offer the clinic to Philadelphians interested in clearing their criminal records.

At “Defender Days,” people will be able to discuss their criminal cases for FREE with Defender Association attorneys, who will also screen clients for eligibility for criminal record expungements for arrests that took place in Philadelphia.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569066856{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_height=”yes” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^146856|url^https://2010dev.devtest.center//var/www/2547a8b6-1cf8-41ec-86ac-dcb04782c388/public_html//www/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nicetown-court-header.png|caption^null|alt^null|title^nicetown-court-header|description^null” bg_image_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_image_size=”contain” bg_img_attach=”fixed” css=”.vc_custom_1676568988349{background-color: #ffffff !important;background-position: 0 0 !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”350″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569082676{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569006778{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Defender Day Schedule:

Defender Days take place on the first Tuesday of every month at Nicetown Court Apartments, 4340 Germantown Avenue. Here’s a schedule of upcoming events: 

  • Tuesday, March 14
  • Tuesday, April 11
  • Tuesday, May 9
  • Tuesday, June 13

Download and Share the Defender Days Flyer!

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569082676{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676570664081{background-color: #00b8ff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569082676{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”32″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1676569082676{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

MORE INFO:

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32″][vc_row_inner content_placement=”top” css=”.vc_custom_1676572246878{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #c0eefd !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][ult_buttons btn_title=”EXPUNGEMENTS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2F2010dev.devtest.center%2Fexpungement-info%2F|title:Defender%20Expungement%20Services||” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#0061b9″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” icon_size=”32″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_font_family=”font_family:Poppins|font_call:Poppins|variant:600″ btn_font_style=”font-weight:600;”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][ult_buttons btn_title=”PROBATION TERMINATION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2F2010dev.devtest.center%2Fprobation-termination%2F|title:Defender%20Expungement%20Services||” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#0061b9″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” icon_size=”32″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_font_family=”font_family:Poppins|font_call:Poppins|variant:600″ btn_font_style=”font-weight:600;”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][ult_buttons btn_title=”STATUS OF MY CASE?” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2F2010dev.devtest.center%2Fmycase%2F|title:Defender%20Expungement%20Services||” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#0061b9″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” icon_size=”32″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_font_family=”font_family:Poppins|font_call:Poppins|variant:600″ btn_font_style=”font-weight:600;”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Junior Defender Program

Posted on by fte2010

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About the Junior Defender Program

The Junior Defender Program coordinates with school administrators to reach out to students in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. The program provides these students with a foundational understanding of the youth justice system in Philadelphia.

We work alongside middle and high school students to develop age-appropriate and culturally responsive teaching materials that will improve our young clients’ understanding of youth justice system and court-ordered obligations. 

The goal of the program is to reduce the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline, and instead build a pipeline of young people interested in pursuing careers dedicated to the legal defense of adjudicated youth.

The videos below are one of the ways we introduce students to the issues and topics discussed in our Junior Defender sessions: [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1663263795856{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1663263761326{background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/j9Bc5FEYjZM” title=”Junior Defender: Intro Video”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/xWVLFqOOKmo” title=”Junior Defender: Treat Kids Like Kids!”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1663264338235{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #c0eefd !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

To learn more about the Junior Defender Program, Contact Guy Lang (glang@philadefender.org)

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October 22: La Fiesta De La Oportunidad

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1666114838863{background-color: #fffc05 !important;}”]Pre-Registration for this event is encouraged for those interested in criminal record expungements. Click here to register.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1666114930399{background-color: #000000 !important;}”]

WHEN: Saturday, October 22, from 11 am to 5 pm

WHERE: Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th Street

Defender attorneys will be doing free criminal record expungements, and our community partners will provide the celebration! Come out for expungements and Latino food, music and art![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

August 13: Expungement Event

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/-PkYUt6qk3g” align=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1660235391348{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1660235845292{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1660235672700{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]

On Saturday, August 13, we’re teaming up with the Elevation Project for a
“Celebration of Second Chances!”

Join us from 2 to 6 p.m. at    Haverford Avenue to receive criminal record expungement info from Defender Attorneys. Plus, check out the food trucks, giveaways and other community resources! 

Pre-Registration is encouraged, but not required. Click here to pre-register for this event.

Click the image below to download the event flyer

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View PhillyDefenders.org in Spanish!

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’re improving our website to help more people in our community!

Users who want to read important information in Spanish can now simply click the “Español” link at the top of our website to view important content in Spanish. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Watch this quick video to see it in action: 

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Chief Defender Celebrates Budget Increase with City Council Members

Posted on by fte2010

PHILADELPHIA–Chief Defender Keisha Hudson was joined today by Councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) and Maria Quiñones-Sanchez (Seventh District) for a press conference to celebrate the Defender Association’s $5.8 million budget increase in the new City of Philadelphia’s Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget, which started July 1. All of the funds from the budget increase will be used to raise salaries for Defender attorneys and non-attorney staff. 

“We want to take this opportunity to thank City Council, particularly Councilmembers Johnson and Quiñones-Sanchez, for making this increase a reality,” said Hudson.

Hudson credited Councilmember Johnson for helping to secure much-needed City Council support for the increase. “At a time when we weren’t sure exactly how much City Council support we had for our budget increase,” she said, “It was Councilmember Johnson who took the lead in writing a support letter to the Mayor that was signed by 12 other members of City Council.”

Councilmember Johnson said his efforts to help secure the $5.8 million increase in funding were necessary to “guarantee a defendant’s right to effective assistance of counsel in order to increase the fairness and likelihood of justice ultimately being reached in a criminal justice system.”

 “Our public defenders experienced unprecedented challenges throughout the past few years during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Johnson continued, “They have acted as first responders and continued to advocate for their defendants while putting their own lives at risk, never resting in the defense of their clients.” 

Hudson also thanked Quiñones-Sanchez for her public statements in support of increased funding for the Defender Association, saying, “Councilmember Quiñones-Sanchez was one of the leaders who publicly called for us to receive more funding at a time when advocating for defendants isn’t the most popular stance to take. But she and others understand that an unbalanced justice system is not only unfair, but ineffective at bringing meaningful public safety to our city.”

Lauren Farrell is Deputy Director for Region 9 of the United Auto Workers, the union who represents attorneys at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Farrell heralded the budget increase as a positive development as the Defender Association negotiates the first collective bargaining agreement with its attorneys. 

“Attorneys in the Philadelphia Public Defender’s office formed their union with the UAW to make positive changes in the office in order to better serve their clients,” she said, “The increase to the budget allows them to achieve a fair, equitable contract with living wages that will promote longevity within the office, and ultimately aid in the quality of representation for the indigent of our city. “

Legal Clerk Dharuba Cherry, who has been with the Defender Association since 1990, said the increase represents an acknowledgement of the important work done by attorneys and non-attorneys alike. 

“With or without a raise, I would still be a Defender for life,” Cherry said, “But knowing that our work is appreciated by our city leaders makes me even more proud and committed to the Defender Association.”

All of the participants in today’s press conference agreed that, while the budget increase is something to celebrate, more state funding is needed to ensure that public defenders across the Commonwealth have adequate resources.

“Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that provides zero state funding for indigent defense and that forces local governments to pick up the tab,” said Johnson, “Every year, our city operating budget should reflect important values and fight for those most in need.”

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Defender Expungement Services

Posted on by fte2010

The Defender provides criminal record expungement services for our adult and juvenile clients.

Adult Record Expungement

An expungement is an order that requires state and local criminal justice agencies to erase something from a record. To be eligible for our services you must:

  1. Have an ADULT criminal record in Philadelphia (we cannot handle cases in other counties or states). If you have a juvenile record and you want to see if it can be expunged, please call 267-765-6770, or visit our Juvenile Expungement page
  2. Have been represented by the Defender Association in your matter(s)
  3. Not have any open cases or currently be supervised on probation or parole.

If you want to get your adult criminal record expunged:

  • You can send us an email: Expungement@philadefender.org; or 
  • fill out the expungement request form on our website here


Juvenile Record Expungement

Expungement request are the primary request from our Philadelphia community. At every community event we attend we offer one-on-one expungement clinics with our staff attorneys. In 2019 alone, we filed 405 new expungement petitions and saw 438 of our petitions granted by the courts. 

If you have questions about an expungement you can:

Learn more about juvenile record expungement here.

Defender 2023 Budget Testimony

Posted on by fte2010

On April 26, 2022, Chief Defender Keisha Hudson testified before City Council on the Defender’s proposal for $5.8 million in additional funding to increase salaries for attorneys and non-attorney staff. 

Watch the the full testimony below (Defender testimony begins around 2:13:18)

 

 

MORE:

Click here to download and read the detailed written testimony submitted to City Council

Click here to download the Defender’s budget presentation slides

Video: #TheDefenseNeverRests

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On April 12, Defender Attorneys and staff shared images of themselves at work as a part of a social media day of action to bring more funding to the Defender Association. Here’s a quick video compilation of the images and messages from our #FundPhillyDefenders campaign.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Defender Files Amicus Brief: Scott v. PA Board of Probation & Parole

Posted on by fte2010

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The Defender Association of Philadelphia has filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiff in Scott v. PA Board of Probation and Parole. The lawsuit, filed in July 2020 by the Abolitionist Law Center, Amistad Law Project, and the Center for Constitutional Rights, is the first case of its kind in the country. It argues that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for those who did not kill or intend to kill do not serve any legitimate governmental interest and are illegally cruel under the Pennsylvania Constitution.

The suit was brought by six people serving mandatory life without parole (LWOP). The six individuals are serving LWOP and are denied the possibility for parole due to their convictions for felony murder, even though they themselves did not kill anyone or intend to kill anyone.

The felony murder rule, which exists in forty-four states, holds a person liable for murder if the person participates in a felony that leads to a death, even if the person plays no direct role in the death or does not intend or anticipate it. In Pennsylvania, people found guilty are automatically sentenced to life, and a separate provision of state law prohibits parole eligibility for anyone serving life.

The Defender Association’s amicus brief highlights how paroled juvenile lifers, released after the U.S. Supreme Court decisions held their incarcerations to be unconstitutional, are positively contributing to the community. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will now decide if the lawsuit may proceed.

Read the Defender’s Amicus Brief here.

Additional Info:

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to sentence youth to mandatory life without parole, 541 individuals serving juvenile LWOP became entitled to a new sentencing hearing, with Philadelphia  having the largest group of children (325) serving mandatory LWOP. The Defender devised a three-year plan, worked side by side with court administration, City Council, the DA’s Office, and numerous legal organizations and private firms across the region. The Defender represented 75 percent of Philadelphia’s cases and trained and supported pro bono counsel to handle the remaining 25 percent. Across the Commonwealth to date, 469 former children sentenced to LWOP have been resentenced and 248 released.

 

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Oct 16: Virtual Expungement Clinic

Posted on by fte2010

Community members are invited to join the Defender, Christian Stronghold Church and Alpha CDC on Saturday, October 16th for our Criminal Record Expungement Clinic. There will be opportunities for people for virtual one-on-one discussions with Defender attorneys to discuss options for getting their criminal records expunged. 

More details and registration info here

Restorative Response Program

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1629824139227{background-color: #eeee22 !important;}”][vc_column][ultimate_heading main_heading=”LEARN ABOUT RESTORATIVE RESPONSE DAYS”]

During our special Community Engagement Week, you can complete your 8 hours within one or two days with one of our trusted community partners! Click here for more info.

[/ultimate_heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1616432945721{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;border-left-color: #1e73be !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #1e73be !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #1e73be !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #1e73be !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What is the Restorative Response Program?

Following the deaths of George Floyd and Walter Wallace, Philadelphia saw both widespread protest and significant civil unrest. The Restorative Response Program was established to create an alternative path to resolve approximately 700 of the arrests which occurred during this period. This program draws on the tenets of Restorative Justice and emphasizes community re-engagement over criminal punishment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Who Is Eligible?

Most people arrested in connection to the civil unrest which took place between 5/31-6/12 and 10/27-11/1 are eligible if they are accused of non-violent offenses.  Eligible Defender Association clients will be contacted by mail and by phone.

If you believe you or a loved one is eligible, but have not heard from an attorney please email restorativejustice@philadefender.org or call 267-765-5045 and leave a message with:

  • your name
  • date of birth
  • address
  • phone number
  • email address

An attorney will contact you promptly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1616424856204{background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column_text]

What Is the Process?

Step 1: Participants MUST COMPLETE a two-hour Educational Session to begin the program.

Step 2: Participants MUST SIGN the Restorative Response Program Acceptance Form found here. Forms can be returned by mail, email, or to the Defender drop box (located at 1441 Sansom Street, open M-F 9:00 am – 4:00 pm).

Step 3: Once you have completed the 2-hour education session listed in Step 1, please choose a community re-engagement opportunity to complete 8-hours of programs. Participants MUST COMPLETE 8 additional hours of programming through one of the Community Re-engagement Opportunities listed below or through an approved outside organization.

Here is a timesheet for participants to use for tracking completed session hours.

Step 4: The Defender Association will provide the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office with proof of completion.  At the next court date (which will be held remotely and attended by attorneys only unless COVID protocols change), all charges will be dismissed and the case will be withdrawn.

Step 5: The Defender Association will ask the court to expunge the case from the participant’s record free of charge.  Fill out the Expungement Interview request form here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What Will It Cost?

Participants who successfully complete the program will have all their court fines and costs waived.  Determinations about restitution have not yet been in the majority of cases.  It is possible the Commonwealth will request restitution from some individuals.  An attorney from the Defender will reach out to you to address any restitution issues if they arise.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1616426598707{background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[ps2id id=’education-session’ target=”/] Step 1: Educational Session Sign Up

All Participants MUST COMPLETE a 2-hour educational session (either virtual OR in-person) before moving forward in the program. Sign up for any one of the sessions below.

If you have already completed the 2-hour educational session with Rev Donna Jones, Tara, and Kavita, skip this and please go down to the next step (Community Re-engagement Opportunities)[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Restorative Response Program Virtual Education Sessions: 

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” gap=”20″ disable_element=”yes”][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][dt_button link=”https://www.eventbrite.com/e/restorative-response-education-session-august-12-tickets-161714647865″ target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”center”]Thursday, August 12 – 2 to 4 p.m.[/dt_button][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][dt_button link=”https://www.eventbrite.com/e/restorative-response-education-session-august-19-tickets-161715259695″ target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”center”]Thursday, August 19 – 6 to 8 p.m.[/dt_button][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1621973105132{background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

In-person Sessions:

Saturday May 22, 10am – 12pm (West Philly):
Malcolm X Park, 51st & Pine Streets

[/vc_column_text][dt_button link=”https://www.eventbrite.com/e/restorative-response-education-west-philly-may-22-tickets-150262494165″ target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”center”]Register Here[/dt_button][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[ps2id id=’community-opportunity’ target=”/] Step 3: Community Re-engagement Opportunities

Once you have completed the 2-hour education session listed in Step 1, please choose a community re-engagement opportunity to complete 8-hours of programs.

Click on the category name to see a list of organizations and opportunities. You can also download a printable directory of organizations and re-engagement opportunities here. 

As you complete your community re-engagement activities, track your hours using this timesheet. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column][vc_tta_tour shape=”square” color=”blue” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_type=”typicons” i_icon_typicons=”typcn typcn-group-outline” add_icon=”true” title=”Restorative Justice Training & Circles” tab_id=”1616788284712-65b3c6a7-e87b”][vc_column_text]MCCP Restorative Cities Initiative – Restorative Justice Training & Circles (6 hours) + 2 Circles (2 hours) = 8 hours total

Location: In-person, at various locations around the city 

Contact:
Terry King
609-923-5419
info@mccpphilly.org

Time: Trainings are held 9 AM – 4 PM (6 hour day with 1-hour lunch break)

Once you have completed this training, you will sign up for 2 additional hours of Restorative Justice circles to complete your requirements for your case.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-child” add_icon=”true” title=”Parenting Support/Classes” tab_id=”1616788284782-3e2ded19-af19″][vc_column_text]Dear Black Fathers – Support Group for Fathers
Location: Virtual
Contact: Mabari Byrd, dearblackfathers@gmail.com

Dear Black Fathers – Math group for parents supporting children in grades K-8
Location: Virtual
Contact: Mabari Byrd, dearblackfathers@gmail.com

IDAAY – Young Fathers United parenting program (with stipend)
Location: 2305 North Broad St. 19132
Contact: Archye Leacock, aleacock@idaay.org, 215-901-6976

Maternity Care Coalition – Parenting class for parents with children under 5
Location: Virtual
Contact: Marci Mathew, mmathew@maternitycarecoalition.org, 267-773-5119

.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-users” add_icon=”true” title=”Mentoring/Peer Support Groups” tab_id=”1616788630245-5b6f4668-09b3″][vc_column_text]Broad Street Ministry – Peer Support Group
Location: 315 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Contact: Michael McKee, michael@broadstreetministry.org, 215-735-4847 ext 116

Institute for Community Justice @ Phila Fight – Peer Support through Mannup program
Location: 1207 Chestnut St., 2nd floor Philadelphia, PA 19107
Contact: Mike Butler, mbutler@fight.org

Frontline Dads – Mentoring
Location: 410 N 34th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contact: Reuben Jones, frontlinedads@aol.com

Mothers In Charge – Mentoring Program
Location: 2839 W. Girard Ave. 1st Floor, 19130
Contact: Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, momsforpeace@aol.com

New Leash on Life – Life Skills/Career Readiness/Restorative Justice workshop (6 hours) + access to Community Free Pet Food Pantry
Location:  4326 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA. 19124
Time: Mondays 9am-3pm, June 21-September 21
Pet food Pantry: every 3rd Monday of each month 10am-11am.
Contact:  rob@newleashonlife-usa.org and jenna@newleashonlife-usa.org or sign up here: https://www.newleashonlife-usa.org/ under the “GET INVOLVED” section.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-handshake-o” add_icon=”true” title=”Employment & Education Support” tab_id=”1617371705939-3b9e0525-69ad”][vc_column_text]Impact Services – employment support, including work readiness workshops, job referrals, vocational training (such as automotive, construction, and HVAC), connection with benefits, and access to other resources
Location: Could be virtual or in-person in Kensington, based on specific interests
Contact: Pending (Please check back)

Impact Services – training in real estate development and creation of generational wealth
Location: Kensington area
Contact: Jon Arrieta, jarrieta@impactservices.org

Impact Services Launch Code program – computer coding apprenticeship for adults – Starts in June
Location: Pending
Contact: Pending (Please check back)

E3 (Employment, Empowerment, and Education) – Professional Boot Camp, including resume workshop, job application/job referral support, and possible professional certifications
Location: Virtual
Contact: Jamier Jones, jamier.jones@temple.edu

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-life-ring” add_icon=”true” title=”Trauma Support” tab_id=”1616788769270-7d99a731-bb17″][vc_column_text]Sankofa Healing Studio – Trauma specific group therapy
Location: virtual
Contact: Jacqui Johnson, therapy@SankofaHealingStudio.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-apple” add_icon=”true” title=”Food/Clothing Distribution” tab_id=”1616789147380-419bebef-4739″][vc_column_text]Chosen 300 – Food distribution
Location: 3959 Lancaster Ave Philadelphia, PA 19104 OR 1116 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19123
Time: see link here
Contact: Brian Jenkins, brianjenkins@chosen300.org

Hope 4 Every Living Person – Food distribution
Location: Victory Outreach Church 735 Westmoreland St. PA 19134
Time: Wed 11am-4pm
Contact: Contact: Pastor Joseph Bishop, pastorjoseph@hope4everylivingperson.org, 267-339-4190

IDAAY – Food distribution (must be able to lift 30 lbs)
Location: 2305 North Broad St. 19132
Time: Sat 9am-3pm
Contact: Archye Leacock, aleacock@idaay.org, 215-901-6976

Philadelphia Auto & Parole – Food distribution
Location: Southwest Philly, 19143
Contact: Jermaine Womack, phillysautoandparole@yahoo.com, 267-255-8834

Frontline Dads – Food distribution
Location: 410 N 34th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contact: Reuben Jones, frontlinedads@aol.com

Mothers In Charge – Food distribution
Location: 2839 W. Girard Ave. 1st Floor, 19130
Contact: Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, momsforpeace@aol.com

Bible Way Baptist – Food/clothing distribution
Location: 1323 North 52nd Street, 19131
Contact: Rev. Dr. Damone Jones and Rev. Dr. Donna Jones, poimen77@aol.com, djones@mccpphilly.org

Why Not Prosper – food distribution
Location: 717 E Chelten Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Time: Monday and Tuesday
Contact: Rev. Michelle Simmons, whynotprosper@aol.com, 610-716-1113

Broad Street Ministry – Food, clothing, and hygiene kit distribution
Location: 315 S Broad Street, Phila PA 19107
Time: Mon-Fri, 1030-2pm
Contact: Sign-up at https://broadstreetministry.volunteerhub.com/events/index#_=_
Or Contact Michael@broadstreetministry.org, 215-735-4847 ext 116[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-recycle” add_icon=”true” title=”Community Clean-up” tab_id=”1616789439759-f2456468-4c02″][vc_column_text]Impact Services – Community Clean Up
Location: Kensington Area
Time: every other Saturday in April/May
Contact:  Jon Arrieta, jarrieta@impactservices.org

First Stop Recovery – yard clean up
Location: 2414 Kensington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Contact: Frank Aikens, frankaikens7@gmail.com, 267-600-7305

Institute for Community Justice @ Phila Fight – community restoration with Mannup program
Location: 1207 Chestnut St., 2nd floor Philadelphia, PA 19107
Contact: Mike Butler, mbutler@fight.org

Bible Way Baptist – church custodial work
Location: 1323 North 52nd Street, 19131
Contact: Rev. Dr. Damone Jones and Rev. Dr. Donna Jones, poimen77@aol.com, djones@mccpphilly.org 

Why Not Prosper  – community clean up and restoration
Location: 717 E Chelten Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Contact: Rev. Michelle Simmons, whynotprosper@aol.com, 610-716-1113

Village of Arts and Humanities  – neighborhood beautification
Location: 2544 Germantown Avenue, 19133 (Germantown and Lehigh areas)
Time: two 4-hour shifts
Contact: Michaela Pommells, Michaela@villagearts.org

Village of Arts and Humanities  – Farm area cleanup and planting
Location: 2544 Germantown Avenue, 19133 (Germantown and Lehigh areas)
Time: two 4-hour shifts
Contact: Michaela Pommells, Michaela@villagearts.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-building-o” add_icon=”true” title=”Office Assistance for Nonprofits” tab_id=”1616789723674-d48939fe-7f44″][vc_column_text]People’s Paper Coop – 2021 Mama’s Day Bailout – Help organize, sort, pack, ship, and scan artwork, or help fold and cut handmade paper made from criminal records
Location: 19143
Time: two 4-hour shifts or one 8-hour shift
Contact: Courtney Bowles, courtney@villagearts.org

Hope 4 Every Living Person – Packing door hangers
Location: Victory Outreach Church 735 Westmoreland St. PA 19134
Time: Thursdays
Contact: Pastor Joseph Bishop, pastorjoseph@hope4everylivingperson.org, 267-339-4190

PAR Recycle Works – Sorting, deconstructing, loading and unloading recyclables
Location: 2024 W Hunting Park Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19140
Contact: Maurice Jones, mqjones@par-recycleworks.org, 267-335-5455

IDAAY – distribute health department flyers (requires walking long distances)
Location: 2305 North Broad St. 19132
Time: Sat 9am-3pm
Contact: Archye Leacock, aleacock@idaay.org, 215-901-6976

Philadelphia Unemployment Project – Call center services for unemployed individuals
Location: Virtual
Contact: Andrew Lee, alee@philaup.org

Valley Youth House – packing bags
Location: 1500 Sansom St.
Contact: Alyssa Weinfurtner, aweinfurtner@valleyyouthhouse.org

Mothers In Charge – clerical services
Location: 2839 W. Girard Ave. 1st Floor, 19130
Contact: Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, momsforpeace@aol.com

PA Prison Society – learning about PPS’s work and responding to letters from incarcerated individuals
Location: 230 S Broad St #605, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Contact: Kristin Cornnell, kcornnell@prisonsociety.org

Philadelphia Citywide Coalition Project (PCCP) – Pop-Up Community Resource Centers – assist citizens at resource tables and through door-to-door information sharing about unemployment, voter registration, property sales, business planning, and other resources. (NOTE: There is a required 2-hour volunteer training that counts toward your total community engagement hours.)
Location: Various (Nicetown/Tioga, North Philly, Susquehanna, Fairhill, Allegheny West, West Philadelphia, Point Breeze, Port Richmond, Overbrook, Strawberry Mansion, Poplar, Logan)
Time: Begins June 1st, Various Shifts (8 AM-12 PM, 2 PM-4 PM, 4 PM-8 PM, 8 PM-12 AM)
Contact: info_pccp@aol.com or 215-839-6130 with your name, message, and email address[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”material” i_icon_material=”vc-material vc-material-directions_run” add_icon=”true” title=”Assisting Youth Sports” tab_id=”1616789944660-a9c5f89a-14d9″][vc_column_text]Rebuilding a Village Foundation – coaching girls’ basketball (requires PA child abuse clearance)
Location: Shepard Recreation Center, 5700 Haverford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Contact: Mustafa Clement, eclmnt@yahoo.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tour][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Probation Termination

Posted on by fte2010

The Defender offers probation termination services for clients:

To be eligible, clients MUST BE COMPLIANT with their probation conditions, including:

  • Regularly reporting to their probation officer,
  • Attending any recommended treatment,
  • paying fines and cost (if they are able)

Instructions For Applying For Probation Termination

  1. Fill out the questionnaire below to the best of your ability. If you’re unsure how to answer a question, leave it blank. Your Police Photo Number (PP) & Name & Telephone Number of your Probation Officer are REQUIRED.
  2. Please discuss probation termination with your Probation Officer. We will reach out to them for a recommendation for your early termination.
  3. Early Termination of Probation Petitions can take 4 To 6 week to be researched for conflicts.
  4. If you had a court-appointed attorney or private attorney we must research your case to ensure you qualify for Defender services. Our office will call if we are NOT able to submit a petition for you.
  5. PLEASE LIMIT CALLS TO THE DEFENDER during the process. Petitions can take up to 6 or more months to be determined. Our office will only call you if we have any further questions to ask about your termination and/or with the Judge’s decision and/or Court Date regarding your pending Petition.
  6. Please fax copies of Certificate of Completed Program/s, Letter of Recommendations, Awards, etc. to Mrs. Rivera at: 267-765-6976

 

Probation Termination Request Form

"*" indicates required fields

Contact Info

Name*
Date of Birth*
Address*

Education & Employment Info

Tell us about your current work and/or school activities
Include name and address of your employer
If you don't have set hours, you can write that here.
Enter a dollar amount

Probation Info

Probation Officer Name*

Special Program Info

List the name(s) and organization(s) for any programs you have completed.
Max. file size: 300 MB.
If you can't upload a file, please fax certificates of completion to 267-765-6796

Docket Info

YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR PROBAITON OFFICER TO GET EACH DOCKET THAT YOU ARE BEING SUPERVISED FOR. IF THIS INFORMATION IS NOT FILLED IN CORRECTLY, THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN TERMINATING YOUR PROBATION.
MM slash DD slash YYYY
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Give us any and all reasons you want your probation terminated Include info such as: Were you denied employment (Company’s name and position)? Were you denied advancement at your place of employment due to being on probation? Were you denied housing (Private Landlord, Affordable Housing, etc.), schooling (Name of school), or child-care? Do you have health conditions (ex: Diabetic, Cancer, High Blood pressure, Mental Health, etc.)? Were you denied travel for funerals or vacations (include city and state)? Do you want to relocate? Where-City & State?

Case & Court Status

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Quick Links” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;”]

Look Up Your Case |  Courtroom & Attorney Info  |  Additional Resources & Info

[/ultimate_heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_heading main_heading=”What to Know If You Have an Open Case During the Pandemic” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;”]

Click here to download this flyer for information and guidance on how to navigate the system if you have an open case. 

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[ps2id id=’lookupcase’ target=”/]Look Up Your Case

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If you have an open case, please find public docket information at: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch

Then, use the spreadsheet below to locate your scheduled courtroom and attorney contact information. 

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[ps2id id=’courtinfo’ target=”/]Courtroom and Attorney Info

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Use the table below to see the latest information on how each courtroom is handling hearings.

If you or a loved one have a court date for any of the listed courtrooms, please reach out directly to the attorney assigned to your case. If you have not been assigned a specific attorney name or are unsure, please contact the department heads listed below, and they can assist you with the specific details of your case.

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[ps2id id=’moreinfo’ target=”/]More Info and Resources

Click the buttons below for additional information to help prepare for your case

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” gap=”10″][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1629822931066{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][dt_button link=”https://2010dev.devtest.center/client-interview/” button_alignment=”center”]SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW WITH A DEFENDER[/dt_button][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1629822957341{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][dt_button link=”https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTmrOw7OOGE1krlfBSNfZKshvPhzlZYTe9GdeBLA3lJ10WJIUdP5A6u8mFv49SkTHBbSLlifa02lUbl/pub” button_alignment=”center”]FIND A PARTICIPATORY DEFENSE HUB NEAR YOU[/dt_button][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1629822980856{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][dt_button link=”https://2010dev.devtest.center/expungement” button_alignment=”center”]EXPUNGEMENT REQUESTS[/dt_button][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner gap=”10″][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1629822996777{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][dt_button link=”https://2010dev.devtest.center/probation-termination” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”center”]PROBATION TERMINATION REQUEST[/dt_button][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1629823013780{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][dt_button link=”https://2010dev.devtest.center/kys” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”center”]KNOW YOUR JUSTICE SYSTEM[/dt_button][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1607529625825{background-color: #0367bf !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Status of the Philly Courts

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Appearance at Hearings:

On your docket sheet, you can locate the date and courtroom for your next hearing.  Please note that depending on court restrictions that are constantly changing, some hearings have been happening in person, some virtually online, and some have been rescheduled without an update on the docket sheet.  

Please be in touch with the Defender as shown below or call the courts in advance if you are unsure what you should do.  If you do not appear for a hearing when required, the judge may issue a “bench warrant” for your arrest.  Additional notes and Defender contact information can be found in the table below.

Public Access:

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, courts have been mostly to the public and having hearings “by appointment only.” At this time, there is still very limited remote access for family members and supporters to attend court events online.  

For the majority of scheduled events, there is no way for the public to gain access, either in person or remotely. Please request access for family, friends, and supporters through your defense attorney 72 hours in advance.

Please remember that the judges, not our attorneys, decide which family/friends can attend the hearings. If the judge allows supporters to attend in person, they may have to view the hearing on TV in a different courtroom.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1607452374601{background-color: #0367bf !important;}”]

Types of Hearings

[/vc_column_text][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Bail Hearings” main_heading_color=”#2237d6″ alignment=”left” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:30px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:15px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]If your loved one was recently arrested, they will have a Preliminary Arraignment, or Bail Hearing, in the first 24 hours.  Please note the following:

  • Your loved one is at the police district and appears through CCTV for the bail hearing. There is no public access to the bail hearing.
  • If you have any information that could help, please call the court at 215-683-7283 and ask to speak to the Public Defender there.
  • Please give the Defender any information about employment, school, health, family life, or other responsibilities that would help us make a strong case for release from custody.

[/ultimate_heading][ultimate_heading main_heading=”MC Hearings” main_heading_color=”#2237d6″ alignment=”left” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:30px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:15px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]If your docket number starts with “MC” please note the following:

  • Courts are now scheduling MC trials.
  • Due to pandemic-related challenges and jail policies, people in custody may experience delays in hearings and trials.
  • If you have been assigned a public defender by the court, click here to schedule an interview with our office so that we have the information we need to defend you. 
  • MC Preliminary Hearings are generally taking place in person. Please make sure you have scheduled an interview (link) well in advance of your Preliminary Hearing so that we are prepared for the hearing.  Please discuss your case and whether it will be in person or virtual with our office prior to the scheduled date. Please make sure we have up-to-date contact information for you. There are very long delays in scheduling Preliminary Hearings because of strict limits on how many hearings can be safely held each day, and the priority is for people who are in custody.
  • Family members and support people who also want to attend scheduled hearings can request access to the hearing through the defendant’s attorney, at least 24 hours in advance, and a judge will decide whether family/friends can attend the hearings.

[/ultimate_heading][ultimate_heading main_heading=”CP Hearings” main_heading_color=”#2237d6″ alignment=”left” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:30px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:15px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]If your docket number starts with “CP” please note the following:

  • CP hearings and trials are prioritized for those who are in custody. However, there may be delays due to pandemic-related challenges or jail policy. 
  • The courts are now open for jury and non-jury trials. Contact your attorney now to make sure you’re ready for trial.
  • While the pandemic has created some uncertainty, jury trials for those out of custody will most likely take place in 2022. Please make sure your attorney can reach you in case of changes to the court schedule.
  • Please keep in consistent contact with your assigned attorney to make sure they know how to contact you about the court’s changing requirements and to provide any new information or ask questions about your case.
  • Public access to many courtrooms is limited. Those interested in attending jury trials must contact the defense attorney at least 72 hours prior to the court date to be placed on a list to gain access to a viewing room or the courtroom.  Public attendance is decided by a judge on a case by case basis.

[/ultimate_heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Additional Notes:

  • If you are dealing with an issue related to a probation hearing, parole hearing, or detainer or Gagnon hearing, please contact Byron Cotter (bcotter@philadefender.org or 267-765-6565) or Victoria Sanita (vsanita@philadefender.org or 267-765-6724).
  • If you are aware that your case is part of the city’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) plan, please contact Rachel Echemendia at rechemendia@philadender.org 
  • If you are aware that your case is part of Project Dawn, please contact Anna Shapiro at ashapiro@philadefender.org.

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Keir Bradford-Grey on Shooting of Walter Wallace, Jr.

Posted on by fte2010
PHILADELPHIA–“Last night’s horrific incident in Cobb’s Creek is made all the more tragic by the fact that it was completely avoidable. Many questions will need to be answered in the coming weeks, but one thing is clear: this is not the public safety model that our communities want or need. 
“Discussions about the killing of Walter Wallace, Jr. will include vigorous debates around acceptable use-of-force protocols. But this is about so much more than that. It’s about what it really takes to feel safe in our neighborhoods, and the overwhelming police response to a mental health emergency is not the answer.
“What we witnessed last night is the sadly predictable outcome of summoning an armed presence into a situation that requires de-escalation and expertise in mental health issues. This is the time to re-think public safety, and how more of our city’s resources can be allocated to organizations and departments who are actually trained to deal with these situations. 
“We cannot afford to squander the opportunity to learn from the Civil Rights moment sparked by this summer’s protests. Unless we quickly reconsider the role of our justice system in public safety, we will continue to re-live the pain and heartbreak of last night’s tragedy, and the subsequent outrage from Philly’s Black and Brown communities.”  
# # #

Defender’s Statement on Philly Prison Conditions

Posted on by fte2010

A recent story in the Philadelphia Inquirer contained an internal e-mail communication from a Defender attorney about concerns related to visiting clients in prison during COVID-19. While we are, of course, concerned about the safety of our staff and our incarcerated clients during the pandemic, the views expressed in the e-mail in no way reflect the feelings of all Defender attorneys, nor the Defender’s commitment to providing full representation to all of our clients, no matter where they are.

In our visits, we have found that the Philadelphia Department of Prisons staff and management are taking the coronavirus very seriously, and are doing all they can to implement and enforce safety protocols. We have set up our own internal reporting for Defender staff to share their safety concerns, and we will share these concerns with the prisons as they arise.

In the meantime, we’re working collaboratively with our justice system partners to increase attorney-client access and facilitate the safe release of as many of our clients as possible.  

July 16 Panel Discussion: Fixing PCRA

Posted on by fte2010

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On July 16, the Defender Association of Philadelphia hosted a panel of legal experts, activists, and elected leaders to discuss how to reform the Post-Conviction Relief Act and provide hope to thousands of incarcerated Pennsylvanians.

 

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ABOUT PCRA:

The PCRA is an indirect appeal asking the courts to reconsider the conviction after a direct appeal is unsuccessful. The goal is to get a new trial and give convicted defendants an opportunity for review of any claims of error or miscarriage of justice. Unfortunately, state law changed in 1996, placing a 1-year time limit on filing these appeals.

This has left people with legitimate claims trapped for years in PA prisons, with no way to appeal their convictions.

 

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PANELISTS: 

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Sharif Street,
PA State Senator

Joanna McClinton,
PA State Representative

Marissa Bluestine, 
Quattrone Center,
UPENN Law School

Nilam Sanghvi, 
Pennsylvania Innocence Project

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Bradley Bridge, 
Defender Association of Philadelphia

Mikal Twiggs, 
Defender Association of Philadelphia

Patricia Cummings,
Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office

Jules Epstein, 
Temple Law School

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Steve Austin,
Mothers in Charge Participatory Defense Hub

Donnell Drinks,
G.R.O.W.N.

John Pace,
Youth Sentencing and
Re-entry Project

Terrance Lewis, 
Liberation Foundation

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COVID-19 Pandemic: Weekly Expedited Hearing Data

Posted on by fte2010

On March 20, three days after the courts closed, the Defender was directed by the FJD that all emergency requests for bail reductions, detainer lifts, and early parole must be filed as written petitions with the court. Since then, the Defender has filed over 1,000 written petitions. Many clients required more than one petition to resolve multiple issues, and some petitions had to be re-filed after the FJD changed its filing rules for emergency petitions on March 23.

As of May 1, 716 of 1,215 petitions that have been decided (58.93%) have been granted.

The FJD agreed to hold expedited release hearings between April 7-9, wherein the Defender and DAO could make oral arguments for bail reductions, detainer lifts, and early parole. The hearings were held in four virtual courtrooms each day, with one Public Defender handling the cases in each room. The cases listed were taken from “presumptive release” case categories created by the DAO in conjunction with the Defender.

The following are weekly summaries that track the success rate of the Defender’s petitions and motions, as well as release numbers: 

Philly Defender Q&A: COVID-19 Emergency

Posted on by fte2010

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Philly’s public defenders know that our clients, their families, and friends are extremely concerned about their health during this pandemic. We’re still doing our best to represent and ensure the health and safety of our clients and our communities, and are working hard to provide you with as much information as we can during these uncertain and stressful times.

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What is the status of Philly’s Courts?

Philly’s Courts have begun the process of re-opening, with a number of new restrictions and procedures in place. Things are changing quickly, and the Defender is doing our best to keep track of these changes, and keep you informed. Click here for the latest status on court hearings during the pandemic

 

What are the Defender’s office hours during the COVID-19 emergency?

Our offices are open, but clients who wish to come in for interviews or other meetings must make an appointment with an attorney in advance.

Our hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

I have a court date scheduled. What should I do?

Depending on the type of hearing, you may not be required to appear in court. Click here for an updated status of Philly’s courts.

 

My loved one has a medical condition that makes them vulnerable to the coronavirus. What should I do?

If you know someone in prison with serious health concerns, please email us right away at contact@philadefender.org. Be sure to include the person’s name, date of birth, PP# and any important details, so our Prison Services Unit can look up their case.

 

My loved one is incarcerated, but not in a Philadelphia county jail. Can the Defender help them?

Unfortunately, we have very little information or solutions for people held in state or federal custody, or those held in local jails outside of the city of Philadelphia. If you have questions about Governor Wolf’s reprieve order that can help some people in PA state custody, please find more information here.  

However, we may be able to help if your loved one has a case in the Philly courts, even if they are being held outside of our jurisdiction. Fill out our online information form if you’re not sure about your loved one’s status.

 

I have an open case in Philly. How do I know if I’m being represented by a public defender?

If you have an open case in Philly but are unsure whether you are represented by the Defender Association or by a different attorney, you can search by name on this website for your docket to find your attorney and get more information on your case. Whether represented by us or another defense attorney, you can get support on your case or for your loved one by attending weekly online meetings at these community-led Participatory Defense Hubs in Philadelphia.  

 

I have another question about myself or a loved one. Who can answer my question while your office is closed?

We have an online information form you can fill out by clicking here. Defender staff is monitoring your questions and assigning them to the appropriate attorney or department. 

As you know, people are extremely stressed about the health of their loved ones at this time. We’re getting a lot of questions through this form, so we ask for your patience as we review each question and work to get it the person who can help. 

 

 

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Here are some additional information pages that may help you:

What to do if a loved one is incarcerated during the pandemic

What you should know about pretrial supervision during the pandemic

Defender COVID-19 Information Request Form

Defender Frequently Asked Questions

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COVID 19: What to Do if a Loved One is Incarcerated

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE VERSION HERE]

Communicating With People in Custody
People who are incarcerated in PA State facilities or Philadelphia County Jails may still communicate, according to standard policies, by telephone, email and US mail. The DOC also announced that people housed in the state facilities will be given 5 free phone calls and be permitted to send emails at no cost to them.

Visiting People in Custody
People who are incarcerated in PA State facilities or Philadelphia County Jails may still visit with their attorneys and Prison Society’s official visitors so long as both the incarcerated person and attorney or official visitor satisfactorily pass a medical screening. All other face to face visits with people who are incarcerated have been suspended. People can sign up for 45 minute video visits with their loved ones who are in state prison on the Department of Correction website www.cor.pa.gov

Requesting and Official Prison Visitor
If you have concerns about the conditions of confinement where your loved one is housed, the Prison Society may be able to help. Visit www.prisonsociety.org  or email PPSOVRequest@gmail.com to see if an official visit is appropriate. Please note that due to the volume of requests, Prison Society may not be able to respond to everyone.

Attorney Assistance
Although the Defender Association office is currently closed to the public, our management team is working with system stakeholders to facilitate a process to safely maximize release during this unprecedented health crisis. We continue to identify clients who may be eligible for release and represent people unable to post bail during Early Bail Review hearings. This is understandably a fluid situation and there are no clear guidelines to follow. But we continue to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of our clients in custody.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

What You Should Know: Pretrial Supervision During COVID-19

Posted on by fte2010

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congratulations! You’ve been released from jail. But now what? Here are some practical tips, as of March 18, 2020, to keep you in compliance with your pretrial release conditions during the pandemic. This situation is rapidly changing so continue to check our website for any updates. Continue reading “What You Should Know: Pretrial Supervision During COVID-19”

Pre-Entry Coalition Partners

Posted on by fte2010

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Click here for more information on the Pre-Entry Coalition

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Service Provider Directory

Click on a service category below to find a list of Pre-Entry Coalition organizations.
Click here for a printable directory

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Defender Association to Reduce Client Interview Hours During COVID-19 Emergency

Posted on by fte2010

PHILADELPHIA–Due to staffing shortages spurred by the COVID-19 outbreak, the new hours for client interviews at the Defender Association of Philadelphia will be 12:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

“We understand that this is a major disruption for many of our clients,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, “But it’s critical that we strike the right balance between the health of our staff and our obligation to our clients and the courts.”  

As an added safety measure, the Defender will also be limiting the number of clients in the reception area. Once this capacity is reached, clients will be asked to either return at a later time or to leave their phone number to be contacted for a telephone interview.    Bradford-Grey noted that these measures, while disruptive, are only temporary.

“With all of the school closings and safety concerns, we’re going to be operating with a ‘skeleton crew’ of attorneys and staff for at least a couple of weeks. But it’s our intention to return to normal staffing levels the moment our local health officials tell us that it’s safe.”   

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