Resources: Legal Resources

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Michigan; non-DNA cases only; no sentence requirements. Only accepts cases after a person has exhausted their direct appeals. The prisoner must not be currently represented by counsel and the crime and conviction must have occurred in Michigan.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in AR, IA, KS, MO, and NE; applicants must have more than 10 years left to serve on their sentence; cannot be currently represented by another attorney except for Iowa applicants; must have exhausted all appeals. Also reviews death penalty cases.

The National Office of the National Lawyers Guild in New York does not provide lawyers or legal assistance; they offer free membership for jailhouse lawyers, which includes the ability to vote on national resultions and to receive the quarterly publication, Guild Notes. Also publishes Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook with Center for Constitutional Rights. See PARC RECOMMENDED BOOKS at the end of this Directory for more info on how to order. If CCR does not respond to your request for the Handbook in 2+ months, then request from the National NLG.  There is also an online form available at https://www.jailhouselaw.org/ to request a Handbook.

NMIJP’s primary mission is to provide assistance and referrals to people wrongfully convicted in our state. NMIJP is an independent organization, and has no affiliation with any other project in New Mexico. They will be opening to review and refer cases soon. In the meantime, please direct questions or concerns to info@nmijp.org. Serves New Mexico only. 

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2006 and is charged with providing an independent and balanced truth-seeking forum for credible post-conviction claims of innocence in North Carolina. The Commission is separate from the appeals process. A person exonerated by the Commission process is declared innocent and cannot be re-tried again. Serves North Carolina only.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Ohio; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Only serves prisoners in Ohio.

The Oklahoma Innocence Project accepts cases of actual innocence in Oklahoma; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Must have credible evidence of factual innocence and be convicted in Oklahoma state court (no federal convictions). Serves Oklahoma only.

The Pennsylvania Innocence Project only takes on cases from factually innocent individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and exhausted their appeals. The Project takes on cases with or without DNA evidence, and will consider arson, shaken baby syndrome, and child abuse cases. Only serves people convicted in Pennsylvania.

Fights for justice for people in Illinois who have been tortured or physically abused, wrongfully arrested or convicted, unfairly sentenced to death, or targeted as a result of their political beliefs or organizing efforts on behalf of movements struggling for justice and liberation. Serves Illinois only.

Prison Legal News (PLN) is a project of the Human Rights Defense Center. It is a 72-page monthly journal covering prison related news, summaries of recent case-law decisions affecting prisoners, and analysis from across the country. A one-year subscription is $30 for prisoners, $35 for individuals and $90 for lawyers and institutions. Single copies of current or back issues are $5. PLN also sells many books related to prison issues, including The Habeas Citebook: Prosecutorial Misconduct, Prison Education Guide, The Disciplinary Self-Help Litigation Manual, The Habeas Citebook: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, and Prisoners' Self Help Litigation Manual. Write for a copy of the book list.

SCHR provides legal representation to people facing the death penalty in Georgia and Alabama only, as well as in cases of unconstitutional conditions of confinement. SCHR also provides free access to a number of publications and handouts, including your free speech rights in prison and Georgia parole handbook. Serves people in Georgia and Alabama only.

Legal clinic reviewing cases of innocence for people who have gone to trial and were found guilty of crimes they did not commit. They consider post-conviction cases from across the nation for individuals wrongfully convicted of different types of crimes and with different sentence lengths, including cases where a defendant has served their complete sentence or pled guilty. They do not consider cases of self-defense. In order to apply for representation, the defendant must be innocent of the crime and the trial must be completed and have resulted in a conviction. Expect delays in the summer. Will consider cases nationwide.

The MacArthur Justice Center is a nonprofit law firm with locations in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Washington D.C. It takes on cases regarding police misconduct, solitary confinement, wrongful convictions, and class actions around prison conditions and parole. Now also a law clinic at Northwestern law school. Write to Chicago address for other locations. Serves nationwide. Expect delay or form response.

The University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic seeks to identify individuals who have been convicted in Maryland state courts of crimes they did not commit and to provide them with assistance in the investigation of their claims. In appropriate cases, representation will be provided in post-trial litigation efforts to secure exonerations. Accepts cases of actual innocence in Maryland; DNA and non-DNA cases. Serves Maryland only.