Calendar of Events

2012 Joint Annual Meeting
12 credit hours
Thursday and Friday, April 26 & 27, 2012
The Harrisburg Hilton
1 N. Second Street
Harrisburg, PA

For the Experienced
Sun Tzu’s Art of War: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s Advocate
9 credit hours
Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29, 2012
Seven Springs Mountain Resort
777 Water Wheel Drive
Seven Springs, PA

Search & Seizure
6 Rule 801 Capital Case credit hours
Friday, October 19, 2012
Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel
Pittsburgh, PA

2012 White Collar Practice
12 credit hours
November 9 & 10, 2012
Ritz Carlton Hotel
10 Avenue of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA

Capital Cases
6 Rule 801 Capital Case credit hours
Friday, December 7, 2012
Crowne Plaza Valley Forge
260 Mall Blvd.
King of Prussia, PA

 

 

 

New Members Only Section: U.S. District Court addresses and counties of jurisdiction in Pennsylvania.

PACDL now accepts credit cards.

News

On Friday, March 30, 2012, PACDL President Barb Zemlock testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Senate Bill 1153.  In short, Senate Bill 1153 amends § 9545(b) of the Post Conviction Relief Act so as to increase from sixty days to one year the period of time in which to file a petition asserting that: 

The failure to raise the claim previously was the result of interference by government officials with the presentation of the claim in violation of the Constitution or laws of the Commonwealth or the Constitution or laws of the United States;

The facts upon which the claim is predicated were unknown to the petitioner and could not have been ascertained by the exercise of due diligence; or

The right asserted is a Constitutional right that was recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States or the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania after the time period provided and has been held by that Court to apply retroactively.

Senate Bill 1153 also amends § 9545(b) so as to allow any petition filed thereunder “alleging a miscarriage of justice that lead to the conviction of a person who was factually innocent of the crime for which the person was convicted, in light of all the credible evidence available at and subsequent to trial, to be filed at any time.

Ms. Zemlock's remarks can be found by clicking here.

S.B. 1153

Bill Analysis

Testimony of District Attorneys Assoc.

Testimony of Pa. Innocence Project

Testimony of Ms. McPhelin

Testimony of Mr. Gallagher

Testimony of Innocence Project

 

Letter to Criminal Rules Committee on proposed new Pa.Rs.Crim.P. 556 – 556.12 and proposed correlative changes to Pa.Rs.Crim.P. 103, 540, 542, 544, 547, 560, 573, 578, 582, 646, 648, 1003 and 1101

PACDL's Statement in Support of Advisory Committee Report on Wrongful Convictions

PACDL's Statement in Support of the Capital Habeas Unit

PACDL's Response to proposed changes to Pa.R.Crim.P. 119 & 500

Member Services

The MEMBERS-ONLY section is password-protected and limited to members of PACDL. If you are a member of PACDL and would like to obtain a password, please contact us.

Brief Bank

One of the valuable benefits of membership to PACDL is access to our extensive Brief Bank, a digital library of briefs written and submitted by our members.

PACDL Listserv

The PACDL Listserv is a private email-based discussion group for members of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

 

PACDL ByLaws