How We Take Cases

IPNO only considers cases on behalf of prisoners who fulfill the following criteria:

• The prisoner claims they are factually innocent of the crime for which they are imprisoned. IPNO does not take cases of legal innocence, self-defense or cases in which the applicant is guilty of a lesser charge.
• The prisoner was convicted in Louisiana or South Mississippi.
• The prisoner has exhausted the direct appeal process.
• The prisoner is serving a life or near life sentence. Due to limited resources, IPNO does not consider cases in which the applicant has less than ten years remaining on his/her sentence.
• The prisoner is not serving a sentence on an unrelated charge that will prevent his/her release if exonerated.
• The prisoner is indigent. IPNO never charges clients and will not represent applicants who can pay for an attorney.

Individuals who wish to apply to IPNO must write to the Case Review Manager at the following address:

Case Review Manager
Innocence Project New Orleans
3301 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70117

Please Note: IPNO can only accept applications received directly from the person who seeks representation. Applicants imprisoned in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola should obtain an application form from one of the Inmate Counsel Substitutes. Applicants in other prisons should write to IPNO to obtain an application form. IPNO will inform applicants when their application form is received, but otherwise IPNO does not correspond with applicants about their case until we need additional information.