Community Partnerships Archives

Join Our Youth Action Board!

Posted on July 12, 2024July 19, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

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

Jr. Defenders: Making Positive Change!

Posted on June 11, 2024June 11, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

We are super proud of our Junior Defenders at Gompers Middle School!

These young advocates have shown incredible dedication and teamwork by using collective resistance to push for better school lunches. Their efforts culminated in a powerful presentation to representatives from the Philadelphia School District.

Collective resistance is just one of the many initiatives we teach in our 6-week youth program. Through this program, students learn the importance of advocacy, community engagement, and standing up for their rights. The success of the Junior Defenders at Gompers Middle School is a testament to the impact of these lessons.

We believe that empowering youth with the skills to advocate for themselves and their communities is crucial. These young leaders have demonstrated that with the right tools and support, they can make meaningful changes in their schools and beyond.

Learn more about the Junior Defender program

Philly Defender wins Prestigious NLADA Honor

Posted on June 8, 2024June 11, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

Congrats to our Juvenile Special Defense Chief Michelle Mason for winning a Kutak-Dodds award! Michelle was joined by Philly Defender colleagues when she received the award at the NLADA’s annual Exemplar Awards Gala in Washington, DC.

About the Award: NLADA bestows the Kutak-Dodds Prizes every year to honor the accomplishments of civil legal aid attorneys, public defenders, assigned counsel, or public interest lawyers who, through the practice of law, are significantly contributing to the enhancement of human dignity.

Learn more about the award here

2024 Father’s Day Bailout

Posted on May 29, 2024July 4, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

Defender Association Response to Kensington “Sweep”

Posted on May 7, 2024May 8, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association fully realizes that immediate action is needed to address the conditions in Kensington. But the City’s May 8 “sweep” of homeless people signals a return to draconian and ineffective crime and drug policies. We are also troubled by the lack of communication we have received from the city in advance of these actions. This information vacuum is particularly concerning as it potentially compromises our ability to serve our clients.

“To be sure, the Defender Association and the Parker Administration have very different policy perspectives. We have long believed that it’s a bad idea to rely on the criminal legal system to solve a public health crisis. The unintended harms of the planned “jail vs. treatment” strategy outweigh any derived benefits for people in addiction. The city’s action’s also threaten to overwhelm the court and jail system, and will likely shift the current problem to other neighborhoods that haven’t been receiving the same amount of attention.

“Despite our efforts to be included in the discussions around Kensington, the Defender Association has received little information about the city’s plans. This is troubling because our office represents a significant percentage of adult men and women from Kensington. From 2017 to 2022 we provided services for nearly 12,000 clients from this neighborhood. Getting timely details about upcoming plans is critical for preparing our attorneys and social workers to serve what will undoubtedly be an uptick in cases stemming from the increased law enforcement activity.

“We can discuss and debate policy. But there’s no question that anyone arrested for a crime–in Kensington or elsewhere–has a right to legal counsel. As the city’s public defender, we feel it is incumbent upon the city to include our office in any discussion that relies so heavily on our justice system.”

“As we work toward solutions that will benefit everyone impacted by the activities in Kensington, the Defender Association looks forward to a more open dialogue with city officials and stakeholders.”

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2024 Junior Defender Internships

Posted on April 24, 2024May 13, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

Are you (or do you know) a high school student who will be 18 before June 10, 2024? Do you want to learn about our criminal legal system while getting PAID? Apply to our Junior Defender Internship Program!

Junior Defenders will learn about our justice system through workshops; observing Philly’s courts in action; taking field trips and more. Click here to learn more about Junior Defenders. Watch the video below to hear from last year’s interns!

There are TWO internship sessions: June 10 – July 19, 2024; and July 22 – August 30, 2024.

Interested? Use the online form to apply TODAY for this internship opportunity! Application Deadline is Tuesday, April 30!
Questions? Contact Tamira McCurdy: tmccurdy@philadefender.org

Defender FY 2025 Budget Testimony

Posted on April 17, 2024May 22, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

FY 2025 Budget Request: More resources to support Philly's Youth!

On April 16, 2024, Chief Defender Keisha Hudson & Deputy Defender Sarah Allen testified before City Council about our request for a $15 million budget increase in FY 2025.

These funds would largely be dedicated to hiring more attorneys and social workers for our child and youth clients, as well as salary increases to bring our attorneys to parity with other city agencies.

Read the full budget testimony here

Download budget request slides

Support Letters for Philly Defenders Budget Proposal

The Defender Association is grateful for the amazing support we've received from our community partners, elected officials and other organizations working toward a better justice system, and public safety for all!

Community Support letter: over 20 organizations added their names to a letter in support of a budget increase for the work we do with justice system-involved children and youth.

Read the letter here

Philadelphia Bar Association letter: Thanks to the Philadelphia Bar Association for supporting our attorneys and the work we do all year round. We especially appreciate their support of our budget request

Read the Philly Bar Association's letter here.

Defender 90th Anniversary Highlights

Posted on April 16, 2024April 17, 2024 by GJackson@philadefender.org

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 April 12, 2024May 13, 2024 by 2010admin

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

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