Criminal Appellate & Post-Conviction Services (IHCAC)

The Criminal Appellate & Post-Conviction Services Clinic provides students with opportunities to not only represent indigent defendants in contested evidentiary hearings in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, but also to advocate for broader changes in the criminal justice system through the filing of amicus briefs. While students learn a variety of trial skills in the context of hearings before a judge, they will also gain an appreciation for the vast array of problems in the justice system. This real-world experience is accompanied by a classroom component designed to foster practical skills as well as critical thinking. Students represent indigent defendants at appellate and post-conviction proceedings, in trial and appellate courts, as well as at state prisons. This course includes a classroom component designed to foster both critical thinking and practical knowledge. Students earn 3 credits per semester for the Post-Conviction/Amicus Track and must commit to participate in the clinic for two semesters (Fall and Spring). This course satisfies the experiential learning requirement.