Criminal Defense

The Legal Rights Center’s staff of attorneys and Community Advocates provide quality legal representation for both juveniles and adults without charge.  Our cases range from misdemeanor traffic infractions to first-degree murder.  Our controlled caseloads allow our attorneys to fully dedicate their efforts to each client.  We firmly believe that people who are poor and have been charged with a crime must receive the same representation that a person of wealth would receive.

We recognize and strive to uphold the dignity and constitutional rights of all clients.  Our attorneys always consider the consequences, possible alternatives, and social circumstances when representing clients.  Community Advocates conduct culturally sensitive legal investigation on behalf of our clients.  Community Advocates typically have strong relationships with their communities, the depth of which gives them insight to understand our clients and to identify all the factors contributing to a case.  The Legal Rights Center attorneys and Community Advocates counsel, educate, and encourage clients to make the key decisions in their own cases. 

The Legal Rights Center seeks to address not only the need for legal defense, but also the underlying issues that lead to involvement in the criminal and juvenile justice systems such as alcoholism and drug use, family conflict, language inadequacies, homelessness, and extreme poverty.  Community Advocates and attorneys attempt to identify these problems and to direct clients toward appropriate human service programs.

Please visit the "Need An Attorney?" page for information about how to retain legal counsel.