Office of the Appellate Defender Reinvestigation Project

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Office of the Appellate Defender Reinvestigation Project

The Office of the Appellate Defenders (OAD) is a New York-based provider of appellate representation to poor people convicted of felonies and institutional indigent defense office. The OAD's Reinvestigation Project identifies potential cases of wrongful conviction and, where appropriate, files petitions for relief. Because OAD recognizes the profound injustice in waiting years to address wrongful convictions, the Project immediately reviews all cases assigned to OAD by the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department for direct appeal. OAD represents poor people convicted of felonies in Manhattan and the Bronx in the New York Supreme Court, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department, the New York State Court of Appeals, and the federal courts.

The Reinvestigation Project searches for wrongful conviction red flags as questionable eyewitness identifications, possible false confessions, the use of informants, unreliable or improperly presented forensic science, police and/or prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel. OAD also monitors criminal justice trends and advocates for systemic reform of laws, policies and procedures that adversely affect its clients and their communities. The Project handles both DNA and non-DNA cases. 

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