Clinical Programs
Criminal Appeals
This clinic, which has been honored by the Cook County Board of Commissioners for its contribution to appellate practice, allows students to represent indigent clients on appeal from their criminal convictions. Students are responsible for every aspect of the appeal, including reading the trial transcripts, counseling the client, and drafting and filing an appellate court brief. In addition to appellate law, the clinic also provides insight into trial practice, as each student reviews and analyzes the procedures, motions, and evidentiary rulings that took place in the trial court. As the clinic concentrates on research and writing, it is ideal for students seeking clerkships or who want to develop their persuasive writing skills, in addition to those students interested in criminal law.
Contact
Michael BennettProfessor Bennett obtained a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and his law degree from DePaul University. He spent his first four years working at Kulwin and Associates, in Chicago, practicing both civil and criminal law. Since 1997, he has been an attorney at the State Appellate Defender, where he is currently a supervising attorney. In 2001, he started teaching the Criminal Appeals Clinic.
Douglas Hoff
Professor Hoff obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri St. Louis and his law degree from St. Louis University, where he graduated with honors. He was employed practicing criminal appellate and post conviction law with the Missouri Public Defender System from 1994 through 2002, then joined the Office of the State Appellate Defender, where he is currently a supervising attorney. He has argued numerous cases the intermediate appellate courts and state supreme courts of both Missouri and Illinois.
Laura Weiler
Professor Weiler obtained both her bachelor’s degree and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated with honors. She has worked for the Office of the State Appellate Defender for the past seven years, practicing criminal and appellate law. Ms. Weiler is an award-winning brief writer, and has appeared before the Illinois Appellate Court, Illinois Supreme Court, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She has worked extensively on developing non-pattern jury instructions for “non-traditional” felony-murder cases, and in litigating the constitutionality of Illinois’ attempt murder statute, which requires an additional sentence when a defendant possesses or uses a firearm during the course of the offense.
Crystal Jackson
Administrative Assistant
312.362.8289
cjacks34@depaul.edu The Criminal Appeals Clinic is taught in a rotation by attorneys from the Office of the State Appellate Defender.
