Michigan State Appellate Defender Office and Criminal Defense Resource Center

Top Stories

SADO's Juvenile Lifer Unit Secures Term of Years Sentences for Clients formerly Sentenced to Life Without Parole

Michigan's Juvenile Lifers--individuals sentenced to mandatory life without parole for offenses they committed as children age 17 years old or under--are entitled to resentencing following Montgomery v Louisiana, __ US __; (Docket No. 14-280, issued 1/25/16), and pursuant to the procedures set forth in MCL 769.25a. In July 2016, prosecutor offices around the state filed motions seeking the re-imposition of life without parole sentences for approximately 229 of Michigan's approximately 363 juvenile lifers. Resentencing hearings in will take place over an expanded period of time. In these cases, the prosecution will continue to seek the re-imposition of a life sentence while defense counsel will seek the imposition of a term of years sentence, the minimum of which can be between 25 to 40 years and the maximum of which is 60 years, pursuant to MCL 769.25a. Read More

Research Attorney Opening at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice

Applications accepted now through October 7, 2016

The research attorney at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice provides research support services to criminal defense attorneys representing indigent defendants out of Michigan’s busiest courthouse. Services performed typically include: general research for pre-trial, trial and appellate strategies; discussion of general legal topics; accessing SADO’s Defender Books and online resources for case-law and sample pleadings; and generally managing a “help desk” available to Frank Murphy Hall of Justice criminal defense practitioners, who can send questions by email to the research attorney. The research attorney may be required to perform several research tasks in quick succession. At times, research tasks may require an immediate response. Read More

Upcoming Fall Training for Appointed Appellate Counsel

The Criminal Defense Resource Center of the State Appellate Defender Office, together with the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System will present its New Attorney Orientation training on September 29, 2016 from 9am-5pm at the SADO office in Detroit. MAACS will also present its Annual Fall Training live at the WMU-Cooley Law Schools on BOTH September 30, 2016 in Auburn Hills and October 7, 2016 in Lansing from 9am-5pm. Read more

View Past Stories

Media Releases

This project was funded by the Byrne JAG grant #2010-DJ-BX-0003, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and administered by the Michigan state Police (MSP). Points of view or opinions contained within this document do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the MSP or DOJ.