NAPD - Reimagining the Supreme Court: Structural Reform and its Impact on Justice

Time: October 27, 2026 - 2-3pm

Location: Webinar

The National Association of Public Defenders (NAPD) and the Brennan Center for Justice invite you to a timely and in-depth virtual discussion on ethics reform and 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices.

For public defenders, the Supreme Court is not abstract. It shapes the constitutional rules governing searches and seizures, interrogations, sentencing, habeas corpus, effective assistance of counsel, and access to federal courts. The stability, legitimacy, and accountability of the Court directly affect the rights of defendants and the strategic decisions defense counsel make at every stage of litigation.<

This webinar will examine the constitutional foundations of proposed ethics reforms and fixed 18-year terms – such as 18 years of active service before transitioning to “senior status,” including key questions under Article III and separation of powers doctrine. Panelists will explore how such reforms could be enacted by statute versus a constitutional amendment. Panelists will also discuss how different reforms might affect the Court’s composition and decision-making over time.

Critically, the program will address practical implications for criminal defense practitioners:

• How might enforceable ethics rules influence recusal decisions in high-stakes criminal cases?

• Would staggered term limits change the long-term trajectory of criminal procedure jurisprudence?

• How could structural reform affect strategic litigation, preservation of issues, and Supreme Court advocacy?

Designed for defense lawyers, appellate advocates, and constitutional litigators, this program will provide a rigorous, practice-oriented examination of how Supreme Court reform proposals could shape the future of criminal law and the rights of the accused.

Online registration and additional information.