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Becoming an Innocence & Justice Client

Innocence & Justice Louisiana takes Innocence Cases and Unjust Punishment where clients were wrongfully convicted or are serving sentences that are excessive. We receive hundreds of requests for legal help every year, so it’s important that any person interested in representation follow the steps below to ensure we can properly review and consider their case.

Innocence & Justice client

STEP 1

Qualification Checklist

  • For Innocence Cases: A person claims to be factually innocent of the crime for which they are in prison. Factual innocence means they were not involved in the planning or commission of the crime and were not present. In our innocence work, we do not take cases of involving self-defense, insanity, or cases in which the person is guilty of a lesser charge.
  • For Unjust Punishment Cases: A person claims that they are serving a sentence that is disproportionate to the crime of which they were convicted. Under our Women’s Justice Initiative, we also consider cases where circumstances not properly considered at trial (self-defense, insanity, their role in the crime) led to a woman’s unjust conviction or sentence. A person does not need to be claiming factual innocence for consideration under Unjust Punishment cases.
  • They were convicted in Louisiana.
  • Their direct appeal has been denied (the direct appeal is the automatic appeal that follows a trial), and their conviction is final.
  • They are not currently represented.
  • They are not serving a sentence on another, unrelated charge that would keep them in prison even if this conviction is overturned.

STEP 2

Applying for Legal Representation

  • If a person meets the criteria for either an Innocence Case or an Unjust Punishment Case, they should write to us at 4051 Ulloa Street, New Orleans, LA 70119, with a short summary of the case. If the applicant is, for any reason, unable to write, someone else can write on their behalf with this information, but please be sure to provide current contact information (name, inmate number) for the applicant.
  • If a person does not meet the criteria, we regret we are unable to help.

STEP 3

Submit An Application

Case Manager
Innocence Project New Orleans
4051 Ulloa Street
New Orleans, LA 70119

Cases must meet all criteria and be submitted in writing to be considered.

Please note that Innocence & Justice Louisiana receives a high volume of mail each week. It may take time to respond. The applicant will be contacted, in writing, if we need more information about the case or notified if the case does not meet our criteria.

If Innocence & Justice Louisiana decides to take the case, we will contact the incarcerated person directly and provide a written representation agreement.

Please be patient. Do not call our office for updates as we cannot give case information over the phone or via email.