There is now consensus that juveniles are less culpable for their actions than adults, and a growing consensus that the United States incarcerates too many people for too long. Yet, thousands of prisoners remain incarcerated under unduly harsh and outdated sentencing regimes. In this clinic, you will address this divide head-on by representing prisoners who were found guilty of crimes when they were juveniles and have been in prison for at least 20 years as they seek release under a groundbreaking new Maryland law that entitles them to a resentencing hearing. You will represent these prisoners in all aspects of preparing their cases for re-sentencing, while also exploring legislative reforms and issues of class, race, access to justice, and professional responsibility that underly the criminal legal system in Maryland and the United States.
