Accepting a Pro Bono Criminal Defense Case
How You Can Help Support Your City
New Orleans needs its lawyers now. Tthe Orleans Public Defenders are unable to provide the necessary representation to defendants, many of who have not gone to trial since the storm. Without adequate indigent defense representation, the state will have to release these defendants or risk constitutional violations on a grand scale. Please consider taking a pro bono case.
Questions About Accepting a Case?
Please contact the Orleans Public Defenders or call 821-8101. Hundreds of lawyers are accepting cases during this crisis in the criminal justice system.
A Call for Conflict Attorneys
The Orleans Public Defenders (OPD) is looking for attorneys willing to be placed on the “OPD conflict list” for Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Those on the list may be called by the court to represent inmates when OPD lawyers cannot do so due to legal conflicts or excessive caseloads. New lawyers’ names will be placed on the bottom of the list, and the OPD will call names on the list sequentially. One case will be assigned at a time. The lawyers on this list can elect to represent these defendants pro bono, or for a fee of $60 per hour and $40 per hour for investigators. The Orleans Public Defenders office has been chronically under-funded and is only now beginning to recover from the effects of Katrina. Thus, offers for pro bono representation are greatly appreciated. If you are interested, please fill out the form by clicking here. Our office will contact you about your inquiry as soon as possible.
Criminal Law Resources
I. CLE Materials from "Criminal Law for the Civil Law Practitioner"
II. Links to Sites of Interest for Criminal Law
State of Louisiana Performance Standards
Rules of Professional Conduct
Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff
Orleans Parish Criminal District Court
Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Orleans Parish Traffic Court
Louisiana Revised Statutes
Department of Probation and Parole
Parole Board
