Program Description

Every criminal defense attorney faces his or her greatest challenge in the representation of a person charged in a capital case.

Death is different not just in the nature of the penalty and in the preparation and presentation of a penalty phase of a trial. Death is different in the intense intellectual and emotional toll it takes on everyone involved in capital litigation.

The Death Penalty College teaches participants the skills, knowledge and insight needed to try a capital case. More importantly, perhaps, the college fosters a feeling of cooperation and community among participants and faculty who are united in the common goal of saving lives.

This unique program takes a “team” approach to preparing the penalty trial and encourages lawyers to attend with their mitigation specialist. Instruction includes lectures, demonstrations and small group workshops. Each morning is spent in small groups where participants brainstorm issues in pending cases or perform using the facts from those cases.

Enrollment is limited to keep the program small and conducive to individual work. All lawyers must have a pending pre-trial capital case to attend.

Registration Form

MCLE credit: 34 hours