California Appellate Project

TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, ASSIST AND EVALUATE PRIVATE COUNSEL APPOINTED TO REPRESENT (CON'T ON SCH O) INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN APPEALS OF CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE DIRECT REPRESENTATION IN SUCH CASES.

THE CALIFORNIA APPELLATE PROJECT (CAP) IS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA. IT BEGAN OPERATION IN SAN FRANCISCO IN SEPTEMBER, 1983 AS A LAW OFFICE UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, ASSIST AND EVALUATE PRIVATE COUNSEL APPOINTED TO REPRESENT INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN DEATH PENALTY CASES AND NON-CAPITAL APPEALS AND WRITS IN THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT.IN 2021 THE SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF CAP ASSISTED APPROXIMATELY 106 PRIVATE ATTORNEYS APPOINTED TO PROVIDE REPRESENTATION IN APPROXIMATELY 249 DEATH JUDGMENT CASES. IN ADDITION, IT PROVIDED TRAINING PROGRAMS, CONSULTATIONS, AND RESEARCH MATERIALS FOR APPOINTED COUNSEL. IT ALSO PROVIDED RECORD GATHERING SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 331 CONDEMNED DEFENDANTS WHO ARE PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY UNREPRESENTED BY APPOINTED COUNSEL.

IN OCTOBER, 1986, CAP OPENED A LOS ANGELES OFFICE UNDER SEPARATE CONTRACT WITH THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA TO PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES IN NON-CAPITAL CASES IN THE SECOND DISTRICT OF THE CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL.(1) IN FY 2020-2021, THE LOS ANGELES OFFICE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT OF APPEAL OF APPOINTED COUNSEL, MATCHING CASES TO APPROPRIATE ATTORNEYS, IN 2,301 CASES, OVER A THOUSAND LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE DIFFERENCE WAS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHICH CAUSED THE TRIAL COURTS TO CLOSE ALL JURY TRIALS, LEAVING APPEALS FOR ONLY NON-JURY CASES. THE ATTORNEY STAFF OF CAP/LA ASSISTED IN THE APPELLATE CASES THAT WERE AVAILABLE, AND THEY PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS FOR THE ENTIRE PANEL TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE WORK.(2) IN FY 2020-2021, CAP/LA MAINTAINED 21 STAFF ATTORNEYS AND 11 SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS. IT ALSO WORKED WITH A PANEL OF ABOUT 450 PRIVATE SECTOR ATTORNEYS OF VARIOUS SKILL AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS, DIVIDED AMONG 5 RANKINGS FOR PURPOSES OF MATCHING WITH APPROPRIATE CASES.(3) IN FY 2020-2021, CAP/LA PRESENTED SEVERAL DAY-LONG SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS (WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS) FOR THE PANEL IN BOTH CRIMINAL LAW AND DEPENDENCY LAW.(4) IN FY 2020-2021, CAP/LA CONTINUED TO MANAGE A CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM USED BY THREE APPELLATE PROJECTS, AND AN ELECTRONIC INTERNET-BASED COMPENSATION CLAIM PROGRAM FOR THE PANEL.