Criminal Justice Clinic Represents "Juvenile Lifers"
In addition to representing juvenile and adult clients facing misdemeanor and minor felony charges, AUWCL's Criminal Justice Clinic (CJC) has also represented inmates in Maryland who were sentenced to life for offenses committed when they were juveniles (“juvenile lifers”). Student attorneys have represented clients on motions to correct illegal sentences under the 8th Amendment and in parole proceedings, have testified before the Maryland legislature, and have assisted Professor Binny Miller in writing an amicus brief filed in the Maryland Court of Appeals. The brief was cited by a Court of Appeals judge at oral argument, and while in a recent decision the Court did not find that the Maryland system for juvenile lifers violated the 8th amendment, the Court did find a remedy for some individuals serving long-term sentences.
As a member of the working group comprising the Maryland Juvenile Lifer Parole Representation Project (MJLPRP), Professor Miller has recently shared in two pro bono awards: the 2018 Herbert S. Garten Special Project Award from the Maryland State Bar Association and the Alan J. Davis Award from the law firm Ballard Spahr. The Garten award recognizes a project that enhances legal services available to low-income people while the Davis award recognizes exemplary legal representation in a matter involving the public good.