Law Clinics
Post-Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum
The Post-Conviction Relief Clinic combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience in capital and life without parole cases.
About the Clinic
This clinical practicum provides students with instruction in the laws and policies governing post-conviction relief in capital and life without parole cases, coupled with practical experience handling ongoing cases in Missouri and other capital jurisdictions. The course is taught by adjunct professors who actively litigate capital cases.
Practical Experience:
- Work with practicing attorneys on active capital cases
- Develop interviewing and fact development skills
- Conduct legal research and writing on complex cases
- Practice case organization and management
- Build professionalism in capital defense work
In the Classroom
Class sessions examine the legal and policy issues involved in capital post-conviction litigation, providing both doctrinal foundations and practical strategies for challenging convictions and sentences.
Topics Covered:
- Death penalty constitutionality and legal doctrine
- State court law and procedure overview
- “Evolving standards of decency” and exclusions for intellectually disabled and juveniles
- Jury roles and effective assistance of counsel requirements
- State post-conviction procedure and federal habeas corpus relief
- Strategic approaches to post-conviction litigation
Faculty