1 / 127

Social Justice Lawyering

Social Justice Lawyering. “The first thing I lost in law school was the reason that I came…”. “I am not sure justice is being done, but I am following the law.”. Law Justice. But you can help narrow the gap !.

molly
Download Presentation

Social Justice Lawyering

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Social Justice Lawyering

  2. “The first thing I lost in law school was the reason that I came…”

  3. “I am not sure justice is being done, but I am following the law.”

  4. Law Justice But you can help narrow the gap!

  5. Though we say differentlyJustice is actually a counter-cultural value in the legal profession

  6. Challenge: Hold on to the justice dreams that brought you to law school

  7. Thousands of others have been able to do social justice law and make a livingKatrina sample of examples

  8. Scope of DamageMississippiLouisianaAlabamaFlorida

  9. 300,000 homes uninhabitable

  10. Katrina Damaged 90,000 Square Miles Area from Boston to Baltimore Inland hundreds of miles

  11. One Million Displaced

  12. Response of Legal CommunityIncredible!

  13. Advancement Project

  14. USDC Civil Rights Action for Release of Misdemeanor Women • Sep 20, 2005 federal civil rights action filed for misdemeanor women sent to Angola state prison – Paula Cobb, Nick Trenticosta, Carol Sobel

  15. Lawyers Volunteer 24/7to Identify Unknown Prisoners • Phyllis Mann – interviewed over 2400 prisoners herself by September 13, 2005.

  16. St. Bernard Parish: September 2005Rent Only to Blood RelativesOrdinance

  17. Waves of Evictions Hit New Orleans

  18. Federal challenge to LA eviction laws – tacking 3 day notice

  19. LA Secretary of State:“299,000 voters in N.O. not back”

  20. NAACP LDF & Civil Rights Advocates file Voting Rights Action

  21. FEMA - November 15, 2005 Quit paying for housing for nearly 60,000 homeless Katrina families residing in government paid hotel and motel rooms.

  22. McWaters v FEMA to halt FEMA evictions *4500 hours of pro bono legal work by 20 lawyers private firm Lawyers Committee Civil Rights & Public Interest Law Project

  23. 8300 Prisoners Left in Cells

  24. ACLU ReportAbandoned & Abused

  25. Criminal Courthouse Closed No Jury Trials No Witnesses No Victims Accused Still Lost in System

  26. Criminal Evidence Room: Chest-deep Water

  27. 6000 criminal case backlog – May 2006 • Judges only in courtrooms part-time • Insufficient #s Public Defenders • Problems with Jail Facilities • Absent retired or quit NOPD officers • Evidence problems • District Attorney problems • Displaced victims, witnesses • Backlog cut to 3000 by October 06; • Backlog cut to 2000 by December 06;

  28. Pre-Katrina, 5000 families lived in public housing

  29. June 2006 - 1040 families allowed to return to public housing HUD Announces Demolition of 4500 Apartments

More Related