National Association for Public Defense

Investigator Meetup - 02/09/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Beyond ChatGPT: Advanced AI concepts for Public Defender Investigators W/ Rocky Ramirez
2024-02-09 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
We’ve all heard of Chat GPT and other generative AI tools – but how will we actually use them for casework? What other tools exist that we can use that will allow us to go beyond the limitations of generative AI? In this presentation, we will explore the larger potential of AI to transform the daily operations of public defender investigators, focusing on its application for enhancing evidence analysis and case preparation. We’ll delve into advanced use cases, demonstrating how to fine-tune AI models to better meet the specific needs of legal defense casework, including techniques for summarizing vast amounts of documentation, extracting critical information, and even eventually exploring how we might analyze patterns in officers’ actions over time. Join US!
This session will be recorded and available My Gideon next week.
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
ROCKY RAMIREZ – Bio
Rocky grew up in Grapevine, TX and was a member of the Grapevine Debate Team and Mock Trial Team. Rocky did his undergrad at Texas Tech University majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Political Science. During this time he was the Music Director and then Station Manager at 88.1 KTXT-FM the college radio station.
He attended Western State University in California and graded on to Law Review and was a member of the Latino Student Bar Association. Rocky also obtained a degree in Sound Engineering from the Los Angeles Recording School and spent two years as an intern and sound engineer in Los Angeles. Rocky moved back to Texas and started his law practice in Lubbock as a panel attorney in the Lubbock Private Defenders Office. In 2019 he attended Gideon’s Promise in Atlanta, GA as one of the inaugural members of the Future Indigent Defense Leaders program (FIDL 1.0). In May of 2022, joined the team at the Bexar County Managed Assigned Counsel Office in San Antonio, as the Law & Technology Resource Attorney and was eventually made the Director of Technology and Professional Development. Rocky has now joined the Concho Valley Public Defender’s Office as a Felony Assistant Public Defender. He will split his time between case-work and technological change for the office.
Rocky is a regular presenter at CLE conferences speaking about the intersection of Technology and Indigent Criminal Defense. His presentation subjects have included Automation for Indigent Criminal Defense Attorneys, Case Management Systems, and the use of AI for Criminal Defense.
At home, Rocky is a proud father of two beautiful boys who keep him busy in his time away from work.
JONATHAN LYON is currently the Investigator Resource Coordinator, past Member Support Coordinator and the national survey investigator for National Association for Public Defense. Since the pandemic he has led roughly 150 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally. Jon is the president of Lyon Legal Logistics to help attorneys in and out of court with Discovery and technology and has assisted attorneys in multiple federal court jurisdictions (www.lyonlegallogistics.com/). He is also a legal investigator for McClain Investigations. Jon began his investigative background working in a PI firm and then for 12 years for the Office of the State Appellate Defender of Illinois. His primary focus has been on post-conviction death penalty cases. In addition, Jon worked for LexisNexis as an award-winning national trainer of the CaseMap suite of software. He also worked for Lockheed Martin as a contractor supporting government attorneys and investigators with software and electronic discovery support needs. He is a Certified Defense Investigator through DePaul’s Center for Justice in Capital Cases and a Certified Trainer through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. He has taught at the Clarence Darrow Death Penalty Defense College, Cardoza, DePaul, Kent, Iowa, and University of Michigan law schools.
He has also taught at the National Defense Investigator Associations Annual Conferences, National Association of Legal Investigators annual conference, National Association for Public Defense, The Innocence Project, NACDL, Federal Defender’s winning strategies conferences, Life in the Balance, American Society of Criminology, US Army, Intellenet and numerous state and county public defender conferences. It is not unheard of for Jon to be invited back to conferences. Jon was most recently interviewed on “Public Defenseless” episode #99. Jon is the Creator/Webmaster for the internationally utilized website www.internetsleuth.net.

Social Worker Meet-Up: Sample Swap!
2024-02-07 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/81277929417
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
This meet-up for social workers, sentencing advocates, mitigation specialists, dispositional advocates, and others in similar roles will be spent discussing, sharing, and showing examples of mitigation reports, sentencing prep reports, and other written mitigation work! Bring a redacted sample of what you use to share on screen and we will talk about and view examples to help us gain ideas in our work!
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.

Investigator Meetup - 02/02/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-02-02 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
Get ready for a fantastic Friday stress-busting meet-up! We’re here to lend an empathetic ear and be your sounding board for whatever is on your mind. There’s no rigid agenda here – we’re keeping it free-flowing. Whether you’ve got complaints, gripes, or exciting successes to share, we’re all ears and ready to chat. So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to unwind, connect, and let it all out! Join us for an uplifting conversation!
JONATHAN LYON is currently the Investigator Resource Coordinator, past Member Support Coordinator and the national survey investigator for National Association for Public Defense. Since the pandemic he has led roughly 150 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally. Jon is the president of Lyon Legal Logistics to help attorneys in and out of court with Discovery and technology and has assisted attorneys in multiple federal court jurisdictions (www.lyonlegallogistics.com/). He is also a legal investigator for McClain Investigations. Jon began his investigative background working in a PI firm and then for 12 years for the Office of the State Appellate Defender of Illinois. His primary focus has been on post-conviction death penalty cases. In addition, Jon worked for LexisNexis as an award-winning national trainer of the CaseMap suite of software. He also worked for Lockheed Martin as a contractor supporting government attorneys and investigators with software and electronic discovery support needs. He is a Certified Defense Investigator through DePaul’s Center for Justice in Capital Cases and a Certified Trainer through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. He has taught at the Clarence Darrow Death Penalty Defense College, Cardoza, DePaul, Kent, Iowa, and University of Michigan law schools.
He has also taught at the National Defense Investigator Associations Annual Conferences, National Association of Legal Investigators annual conference, National Association for Public Defense, The Innocence Project, NACDL, Federal Defender’s winning strategies conferences, Life in the Balance, American Society of Criminology, US Army, Intellenet and numerous state and county public defender conferences. It is not unheard of for Jon to be invited back to conferences. Jon was most recently interviewed on “Public Defenseless” episode #99. Jon is the Creator/Webmaster for the internationally utilized website www.internetsleuth.net.

Investigator Meetup - 01/26/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-01-26 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683

Grief and Loss – Molly Rannes - BWW
2024-01-24 15:10 - 16:00
In this discussion, we will talk about the complexity of grief: what it is, how it manifests itself, and what we can do in the workplace to support ourselves and others through grief.

Invitation
Everyone working in public defense is invited to Be Well Wednesdays!
WHEN: Wednesdays at 12:10-1:00 pm Pacific/3:10-4:00 pm Eastern.
Drop in for any session. Stay for all or part of the session. Always free!

DEIB professionals, join us for our first DEIJ MEETUP of 2024!
2024-01-24 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/deib-professionals-join-us-for-our-first-deij-meetup-of-2024/
We will be led by guest speaker, Charles Fox, M.A.P.P. Charles is the Director of Diversity & Development for the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, Inc. He has expertise in developing training, inclusive programs, and strategies in recruitment, as well as hiring to promote equity within and outside of the organization. You don’t want to miss this presentation!

The meetup agenda, speaker bio, and reminders will be posted on the listserv.

See you there!

Not on the listserv? Send your request to be added to the racial justice listserv to BGT, DEIJ Coordinator, at Brittanygt@publicdefenders.us.

See you there!

Social Worker Meet Up - Social Worker Meet-Up: Sample Swap!
2024-01-24 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/social-worker-meet-up-social-worker-meet-up-sample-swap/
This meet-up for social workers, sentencing advocates, mitigation specialists, dispositional advocates, and others in similar roles will be spent discussing, sharing, and swapping samples of interview forms, biopsychosocial assessments, and mitigation reports! Bring a sample of what you use to share in the chat, and we will talk about and view examples to help us gain ideas in our work!
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.

Investigator Meetup - 01/19/2023 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-01-19 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683

Investigator Meetup - 01/12/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-01-12 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
Hey Investigators,
We understand how things can get stressful, and we’re here to make it better. Our meetup? It’s more of an open conversation—no strict agenda.
It’s Friday, a perfect day to let off steam! Bring your complaints, quirks, and successes. Let’s hang out!

Investigator Supervisor meetup - First one of 2024!
2024-01-10 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/82381950121
Supervisors, leaders and senior investigators
Please join us tomorrow for our monthly meetup, bring your concerns, issues and successes!
See you then!

Social Worker Meet Up - Starting the Year Off with Our Purpose
2024-01-10 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/81277929417
We are going to start our first meet-up of 2024 redefining and rediscovering our purpose! Inspired by the Ted Talk by Adam Leipzig (“How to know your life purpose in 5 minutes”) we are going to hone our elevator speech and reinvigorate why it is so important that we do this critical work! Please join this meet-up and share support for and inspiration with your colleagues!
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.

Join us for our first RACIAL JUSTICE MEETUP of 2024!
2024-01-09 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/82126934757
We will be led by guest speaker, Christian Lassiter, Esq. An experienced public defender at both state and federal levels, Christian is curently a Capital Fellow with the Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project. Christian will lead our meetup in an exploration of racial justice and capital defense work. You don’t want to miss it!

The meetup agenda, speaker bio, and reminders will be posted on the listserv.

Be sure that you don’t miss a Racial Justice Meetup (every second Tuesday of the month) or our discussions by adding our calendar and joining the listserv.

Not on the listserv? Send your request to be added to the racial justice listserv to BGT, DEIJ Coordinator, at Brittanygt@publicdefenders.us.

See you there!

Investigator Meetup - 01/05/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-01-05 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
Hey Investigators,
Happy new year! We understand how things can get stressful, and we’re here to make it better. Our meetup? It’s more of an open conversation—no strict agenda.
It’s Friday, a perfect day to let off steam! Bring your complaints, quirks, and successes. Let’s hang out!

Investigator Supervisor meetup - 12-13-2023 final one of this year!
2023-12-13 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/82381950121

JOIN US for our first DEIJ & Racial Justice Meetup Mashup!
2023-12-12 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/82126934757
DEIJ and Racial Justice Meetup Members,
JOIN US for our first DEIJ & Racial Justice Meetup Mashup! At this month’s meetup, we will focus on the lessons from THE RACIAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE (RJC) (October 2023) and the work that needs to be done. Be ready to share one or two points of inspiration and/or valuable lessons! Didn’t attend RJC? Come to hear more and be inspired.
The meetup agenda will be posted on the listserv. Not on the listserv? Send your request to be added to BGT, DEIJ Coordinator, at Brittanygt@publicdefenders.us.
See you there!

Investigator Meetup - 12/08/2023 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2023-12-08 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
Get ready for a fantastic Friday stress-busting meet-up! We’re here to lend an empathetic ear and be your sounding board for whatever is on your mind. There’s no rigid agenda here – we’re keeping it free-flowing. Whether you’ve got complaints, gripes, or exciting successes to share, we’re all ears and ready to chat. So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to unwind, connect, and let it all out! Join us for an uplifting conversation!

Investigator Meetup - 12/01/2023 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2023-12-01 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683

Webinar: Collaborative, Holistic Services: Where to Begin?
2023-11-30 14:00 - 15:30 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/collaborative-holistic-services-where-to-begin/
Click the “Log In” button at the top of this page before registering.
November 30, 2023 at 2:00 pm Eastern | 1:00 pm Central | 12:00 pm Mountain | 11:00 am Pacific (90 minutes)
The proliferation of collaborative, holistic styled defense is revolutionizing public defenders across the country. Yet, challenges remain in knowing how to identify resources, embed practices and develop strategies for effective implementation of these expanded services. Our guests will share their approach from inception to implementing collaborative services in diverse offices, utilizing existing and cultivated resources to bring clients greater services.
Presenters
Vichal Kumar is the Director of Capacity-Building at Partners for Justice. Vichal uses his expertise in creating and implementing collaborative and holistic defense programs to offer technical expertise to public defender offices throughout the country. Prior to PFJ Vichal served as the Managing Director of the Civil Defense Practice at Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem, where he created the practice responsible for the representation of clients in essential civil matters including: immigration; housing; employment; civil asset forfeiture; and social services connections. While attending the law school, Vichal worked as a Civil Legal Advocate at The Bronx Defenders. Upon graduation, Vichal became a Staff Attorney and subsequently a Supervising Attorney at The Bronx Defenders. He is also a former President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America and the South Asian Bar Association of New York.
Annie Legomsky is the Holistic Defense Services Leader at Missouri State Public Defender. Annie is lawyer and social worker who has combined her expertise in both fields to create a more holistic approach to public defense in Missouri. Annie is a St. Louis native who has been a part of MSPD since 2016. Annie joined MSPD as a trial attorney in St. Louis City in 2016 and served in that role for 3 years before transitioning into a role focused on representing the office’s clients in treatment court programs. Now, as the Holistic Defense Services Leader for MSPD, Annie has been paving the way to implement a collaborative and community-based approach to representation and leads a team of over 20 staff statewide. Before joining MSPD, Annie served as a law clerk for the Hon. Rodney W. Sippel in the Eastern District of Missouri. Annie graduated from Washington University’s School of Law and the Brown School of Social Work in 2014 with her JD/MSW. Annie is also a proud wife and mom of two adorable toddlers.

Inadequate Recognition of Indigenous Peoples in the DEI Landscape.
2023-11-29 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/81249255754
DEI professionals, join us for our monthly DEIJ MEETUP on November 29, 2023 at 1 p.m. (est)/ 12 p.m. (cst) / 11 a.m. (mt) / 10 a.m. (pst).
In honor of Indigenous Peoples Month, we will have our own Lydia Schildt present on the “Inadequate Recognition of Indigenous Peoples in the DEI Landscape.”
See you there!
Lydia’s Bio:
Lydia Schildt is a proud member of the AmskapiPikuni (Southern Blackfeet) tribe AmskapiPikuni (Southern Blackfeet) tribe from Blackfeet Nation, MT and currently from Blackfeet Nation, MT and currently resides in Missoula. Holding a psychology degree from Salish Kootenai College, she’s pursuing a master’s with a General College, she’s pursuing a master’s with a General Psychology focus. Presently a Training Specialist at Psychology focus. Presently a Training Specialist at the Montana State Office of Public Defender, Lydia is the Montana State Office of Public Defender, Lydia is also an online Adjunct Instructor at her alma mater. also an online Adjunct Instructor at her alma mater. She educates on subjects including, She educates on subjects including, Historical Trauma, Health Stress and Trauma in Historical Trauma, Health Stress and Trauma in Indian Country, Abnormal Psychology, Indian Country, Abnormal Psychology, Indigenous Research, and Social Psychology. Lydia Schildt is a proud member of the AmskapiPikuni (Southern Blackfeet) tribe AmskapiPikuni (Southern Blackfeet) tribe from Blackfeet Nation, MT and currently from Blackfeet Nation, MT and currently resides in Missoula.

test event with Jeni
2023-11-20 18:00 - 19:00
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Webinar: Charles Whitman (aka the “Texas Tower Sniper”): A Neurocriminological and Forensic Psychological Examination
2023-11-13 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/webinar-charles-whitman-aka-the-texas-tower-sniper-a-neurocriminological-and-forensic-psychological-examination/
Click the “Log In” button at the top of this page before registering.
November 13, 2023 at 1:00 pm Eastern | 12:00 pm Central | 11:00 am Mountain | 10:00 am Pacific (60 minutes)
Webinar Faculty: Dr. Jerrod Brown
About the Webinar:
Charles Whitman committed a mass shooting homicide event in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin. This training will examine the potential prenatal and postnatal neurobiopsychosocial factors that could have played a role in this case. Further, discussions will center on how neurobiopsychosocial information can be used to better understand complex criminal behaviors by using this case as an example. Implications for screening, intervention, and prevention strategies with current and future complex criminal cases will be explored through a neurocriminological and forensic psychological lens. This training is intended for educational purposes only and will not sensationalize any aspects of the crimes committed by this individual. Other relevant topics of interest discussed include rage control problems, adverse childhood experiences, hypergraphia, social learning theory, exposure to domestic abuse in early life, prenatal toxic stress exposure, brain tumor, amygdala dysfunction, psychological stress, mental health status changes, bifurcated mass murderer, free will, play deprivation, police psychology, extreme heat exposure, domestic homicide, and firearm fascination to name a few. Empirically based research findings will be highlighted throughout this training.
About the Faculty:
Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing a graduate certificate in Neuroscience and the Law from Michigan State University. Jerrod has also published in several peer-reviewed journals, has been quoted in various magazines and newspapers, and has appeared in two documentaries related to the topic of FASD. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.
NAPD doesn’t apply for CLE or track attendance to provide certifications for our live webinars, conferences and online courses. This helps us keep the price as low as possible and avoids the disruption of the flow of the training required by many states to verify attendance.
By registering for this training, I am affirming that today I am neither a prosecutor, nor attending this training with the purpose of aiding the prosecution of any criminally accused. I further affirm that I am dedicated to the ideals of the criminal defense practitioner, and am committed to the causes of effective and zealous defense of those charged with crimes, the protection and assertion of constitutional rights afforded the criminally accused, and the recognition and preservation of human dignity of those charged with crimes. I further affirm that my use of the information provided by this training will not be used by me in any manner which would impugn the above set out ideals.

Investigator Meetup- Defending Against Cell Phone Location data
2023-11-03 14:00 - 15:15 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-defending-against-cell-phone-location-data/
In this presentation, we will delve into the critical examination of the FBI’s long-standing practices in call detail record analysis, a methodology that has been utilized in the legal system for over a decade. Initially introduced as a scientific approach, it was never originally intended for determining the precise location of a mobile phone. However, it has gained acceptance based on its perceived scientific merit, and only in recent years have we witnessed challenges.
Our session will provide an evidence-based exploration of the flawed assumptions and practices inherent in call detail record analysis. By scrutinizing the methodologies employed by law enforcement agencies, we will reveal instances where these methods not only fail to place a suspect near a crime scene but also highlight their inherent unreliability.
It’s important to note that this presentation will not cover alternative methods like Truecall, which offer valid approaches for estimating mobile phone locations. Instead, our focus will remain on the shortcomings of the FBI CAST methods, demonstrating their lack of scientific and engineering support.
We will elucidate how Call Detail Records, at best, can only establish a phone’s connection to a specific tower and lack the capability to estimate the tower’s coverage area.
