Our office currently only takes cases from Louisiana in which:

  1. A person is factually innocent of the crime for which they are in prison. (A person is factually innocent if they had no involvement in the crime and were not there), and
  2. The person is in prison with a life sentence or near-life sentence. We cannot help with expungements or pardons for a person already released. The person is serving a life sentence or a near-life sentence with at least 10 years left to be served, and
  3. The person’s direct appeal has been denied, and
  4. The person cannot afford an attorney, and
  5. The person is not serving a sentence on another, unrelated charge that will mean he or she will not be released if the conviction at issue is overturned.

If your case does not fit our criteria, the following organizations may be able to assist you:

NATIONAL

Innocence Project  – provides representation for innocent incarcerated people in all 50 states and D.C., when innocence can be proved by DNA testing.

Innocence Network – lists contact information and case selection criteria for innocence projects in other states and countries.


LOUISIANA

ACLU of Louisiana – handles civil rights issues in Louisiana, including those relating to prison conditions.

Capital Appeals Project – provides legal representation on direct appeal to indigent incarcerated people sentenced to death in Louisiana.

Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana – provides legal representation in post-conviction for indigent incarcerated people sentenced to death in Louisiana.

Federal Public Defender’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana – represents individuals charged with federal crimes in the Eastern District of Louisiana who have been found to qualify for their services by a magistrate judge. They can represent an individual only after they are appointed by the court.

Federal Public Defender’s Office, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana – represents individuals charged with federal crimes in the Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana who have been found to qualify for their services by a magistrate judge. They can represent an individual only after they are appointed by the court.

The First 72+ – provides resources for formerly-incarcerated individuals in their first three days of release from prison. Assistance includes transportation from prison, food, clothes, and transportation to social services offices.

Free-dem Foundations – mentorship program founded by formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs and activists.

Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana – provides resources through programs that assist with re-entry. Also provides expungement information and resources.

Louisiana Appellate Project – provides appellate services for indigent defendants in all non-capital felony appeals in Louisiana.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board – provides information on how to file a complaint about the poor performance or unethical conduct of a Louisiana lawyer (prosecutor or defense lawyer).

Louisiana Capital Assistance Center – provides legal representation and consultation services at a pre-trial level to indigent defendants facing the death penalty, or sentenced to death, in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights  – assists with issues related to juveniles charged with crimes, including those who were juveniles at the time of the crime but are now in adult prisons.

Louisiana Clerk of Courts – provides information for filing pleadings and obtaining court documents and locations of courts.

Louisiana Department of Corrections  – provides information about locating and visiting incarcerated people.

Louisiana Public Defender Board – lists Louisiana public defenders and their contact information. Public defenders represent defendants at trial who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer.

Louisiana State Bar Association – keeps a list of all  Louisiana attorneys and how to contact them.

Louisiana State Bar Association – Modest Means Resources – contact information of attorneys who charge reduced rates or charge less because they represent someone for just part, and not all, of a case. These services are NOT free. For information on fees and services, you will need to contact the attorney(s) listed.

Orleans Public Defenders – provides the citizens of Orleans Parish with client-centered legal representation in Louisiana’s criminal and juvenile justice system.

Voice of the Experienced/VOTE – a grassroots membership-based organization run by Formerly Incarcerated Persons (FIPS) and their allies. VOTE members work to increase civic engagement and leadership and decrease employment discrimination in communities most impacted by the criminal justice system, which in turn improves public safety in New Orleans.


MISSISSIPPI

ACLU of Mississippi – handles civil rights issues in Mississippi, including those relating to prison conditions.

Federal Public Defender, Northern & Southern Districts of Mississippi –the office is dedicated to the defense of indigent clients charged with federal offenses. The caseload ranges from petty offenses to the defense of complex felony prosecutions.

George C. Cochran Innocence Project – based at the University of Mississippi School of Law,  the Mississippi Innocence Project provides representation to innocent incarcerated people convicted in north Mississippi.

Office of State Public Defender: Capital Defense Division – provides representation to indigent parties under indictment for death penalty eligible offenses

Mississippi Center for Justice – a civil justice law office providing pro bono legal assistance to Mississippians facing free representation in Mississippi for civil law issues.

Mississippi Clerk of Courts – provides information for filing pleadings and obtaining court documents and provides the locations of courts.

Mississippi Department of Corrections – provides information about locating and visiting incarcerated people.

Mississippi Office of State Public Defender  – provides legal representation on appeal for indigent persons convicted of felonies but not under sentence of death in Mississippi.

Mississippi State Bar Association – maintains a directory of Mississippi attorneys and provides information on how to file a complaint about the poor performance or unethical conduct of a Mississippi lawyer (prosecutor or defense lawyer).


(IPNO is not endorsing any other organization and is not responsible for content on their sites.)