In this social worker meetup (for social workers, sentencing advocates, mitigation specialists, and others in similar roles) we will be talking about if and how (any why, if so) we write to aggravators. Mitigation exists on its own, but is developed in response to a case’s aggravators. This responsive approach is not always how we prepare or present mitigation. Are you writing to address and nullify aggravators? Why or why not? We will discuss this and more in our meetup this week!
Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.