Michigan Indigent Defense Commission

Exploring Indigent Defense Reform
2015-10-09 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Suburban Collection Showplace Diamond Center, 46100 Grand River, Novi, MI, 48374, United States
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission is pleased to be participating in the State Bar of Michigan’s Annual Meeting in Novi on Friday October 9, 2015 from 10 a.m. – noon at the Suburban Collection Showplace Diamond Center in the Onyx Ballroom. Executive Director Jonathan Sacks and Commissioner Nancy J. Diehl are among the panel members discussing Indigent Defense Reform during the Criminal Law Section’s Program immediately after the business meeting. See the full schedule here.
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission has been tasked with proposing minimum standards for indigent defense and working with Michigan’s 83 counties to implement plans that comply with the standards. Join us for an interactive discussion of the new standards from the perspective of all stakeholders: defense, prosecution, judges, and administration. How do the new standards affect you?
Speakers: Jonathan Sacks, Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, Lansing
Hon. Sarah J. Smolenski, 63rd District Court, Grand Rapids
Frederick D. Johnson Jr., Director Muskegon Public Defenders, County of Muskegon, Muskegon
Nancy J. Diehl, Former Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor & SBM Past President, Detroit

CAP Session - Michigan Indigent Defense Commission Update
2015-09-11 13:30 - 15:00 | Coleman A. Young Municipal Center Auditorium, 2 Woodward Avenue, 13th Floor, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission is pleased to be presenting at the upcoming Criminal Advocacy Program in Detroit, Michigan. The MIDC is required by statute to collect and compile data for the review of indigent defense services in Michigan; create minimum standards to ensure all systems providing indigent defense meet constitutional obligations for effective assistance of counsel; and work with counties to implement plans to meet the standards and measure the performance of counties in providing public defense services. As data collection begins and the first set of minimum standards have been proposed, Executive Director Jonathan Sacks will explain the Commission’s goals and timetable and how the MIDC will impact indigent defense in Wayne County.

MIDC Meeting and Public Hearing
2015-08-18 13:00 - 17:00 | WMU Cooley Law School, Lansing, Auburn Hills & Grand Rapids, MI, United States
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission will hold its next meeting on August 18, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School, live in Lansing and simulcast in Auburn Hills and Grand Rapids at the following addresses:
300 S. Capitol Ave, Lansing (room 308)
111 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids (room 305)
2630 Featherstone, Auburn Hills (room 100)
In addition to normal business, this meeting will also serve as a public hearing on the first set of standards for the local delivery of indigent defense services that have been proposed and posted for comment by the MIDC. These standards involve education and training, the initial client interview, experts and investigators, and counsel at first appearance in front of a judge.
For complete details on the proposed standards, please see the MIDC’s website. Comments on these proposed standards can be submitted to info@michiganidc.gov or mailed to 200 N. Washington Square, Lansing, MI 48933. MIDC staff will post the comments on their website and all comments received prior to Friday August 7, 2015 by 5 p.m. will be submitted for consideration by the Commission.
Please note: All are welcome and encouraged to attend the public hearing, but seating is limited and available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
Please contact (517) 648-3143 for additional information or inquiries.

MIDC in Marquette
2015-08-14 14:30 - 16:00
Earlier this summer, the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) announced the release of the first set of proposed minimum standards for the local delivery of indigent criminal defense services. These standards involve education and training, the initial client interview, experts and investigators, and counsel at first appearance in front of a judge. The MIDC strives for collaboration, transparency and accessibility in our work, and we are collecting feedback on these first standards.
Please join Marla McCowan, MIDC Director of Training, Outreach and Support and Gary Walker, Commissioner for an informational session regarding these first standards and the work of the MIDC Friday August 14, 2015 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Marquette County Courthouse South Circuit Courtroom.
Discussion topics in addition to the standards include potential compliance plans to employ in local courts, our preliminary review of data collection, future standards for the Commission to consider, and an opportunity to ask questions, share your concerns and offer insight as the MIDC works toward improving indigent defense in Michigan.
RSVP online or contact Marla McCowan via email at mmccowan@michiganidc.gov or at 517-388-6702.
View Flyer for this Event

CDAM Trial College
2015-08-10 08:00 - 2015-08-15 17:00 | Radisson Hotel and State Bar of Michigan, Lansing, MI, United States

Advanced Topics in Pleas and Sentencing
2015-07-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Auburn Hills, Lansing and Grand Rapids, MI, United States
SADO’s Criminal Defense Resource Center (CDRC) & Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School (WMUTCLS) through a grant from the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) will offer a FREE “Advanced Topics in Pleas & Sentencing Seminar,” on Friday, July 31, 2015, from 1-3pm. This seminar will provide training on current issues relating to the scoring of the statutory sentencing guidelines (including particularly difficult questions posed on the MJI sentencing guidelines scoring Q and A webpage as well as other cutting edge scoring questions) and issues that affect the validity of a guilty or no contest plea presented by Anne Yantus – Managing Attorney of the State Appellate Defender Office. Space is limited and reservations are required. For registration information and online registration use the following links: Auburn Hills – SIMULCAST: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-topics-in-pleas-sentencing-auburn-hills-simulcast-tickets-16804494696; Grand Rapids – LIVE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-topics-in-pleas-sentencing-grand-rapids-live-tickets-16804374336 and Lansing – SIMULCAST: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-topics-in-pleas-sentencing-lansing-simulcast-tickets-16804543843. For additional information contact Heather Waara at hwaara@sado.org

Sentencing Law Update
2015-07-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Auburn Hills, Lansing and Grand Rapids, MI, United States
SADO’s Criminal Defense Resource Center (CDRC) & Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School (WMUTCLS) through a grant from the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) will offer a FREE “Sentencing Law Update Seminar,” on Friday, July 17, 2015, from 1-3pm. This seminar will provide updates on recent case law and statutory changes to the Michigan legislative sentencing guidelines and other areas of Michigan sentencing law and is presented by Jacqueline McCann – Assistant Defender of the State Appellate Defender Office and Principal Author of the Defender Sentencing & Post-Conviction Book. Space is limited and reservations are required. For registration information and online registration use the following links: Auburn Hills – LIVE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sentencing-law-update-auburn-hills-live-tickets-16804143646, Grand Rapids – SIMULCAST: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sentencing-law-update-grand-rapids-simulcast-tickets-16804200817 and Lansing – SIMULCAST: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sentencing-law-update-lansing-simulcast-tickets-16804307135. For additional information contact Heather Waara at hwaara@sado.org

CDAM Training
2015-07-11 | Otsego Country Club, Gaylord, MI, United States

Sentencing 101
2015-06-12 13:00 - 14:00 | Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, 1441 St Antoine St, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States

MIDC Meeting
2015-06-09 13:00 - 14:00 | MIDC Office, 200 N Washington, Lansing, MI, United States
