Legal Docket

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Sex Offender Registration of Children (SORNA)
Oregon Supreme Court •
Our brief argued that empirical research and the constitutional guarantees afforded to youth mandate a presumption against registering youth as sex offenders. We further argued that Oregon’s juvenile sex offender registration statute is unconstitutionally vague, not rationally related to a legitimate state purpose, and likely to disproportionately affect youth of color and LGBTQ youth.
Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
Maryland Court of Appeals •
Amici argued that imposing a life without parole sentence without considering the characteristics of youth is unconstitutional—whether imposed under a mandatory or discretionary sentencing scheme.
Youth Tried as Adults
Illinois Supreme Court •
Our brief argued that predicating Class X eligibility on youthful offenses ignores the constitutionally recognized developmental differences between children and adults. We further argued that the Class X Felony Statute has a disproportionate effect on Black and Brown youth, as they are transferred to adult court at disparate rates. 
Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
Washington Supreme Court •
We argued that Washington’s Persistent Offender statute violates both the Federal and Washington Constitutions by using a juvenile offense as the basis for imposing mandatory life without parole.
Youth Tried as Adults
Ohio Supreme Court •
Our brief argued that probable cause hearings that result in transfer to adult court require due process protections to protect youth from the harms of the adult system and prevent racially disproportionate transfer. Our brief also argued that any sentence with a life tail should be treated consistently with the process set forth in State v. Patrick, which mandates consideration of youth and its attendant characteristics before imposing a life sentence. We further argued that life sentences are imposed disproportionately on youth of color and must therefore be subject to additional safeguards. 
Youth Tried as Adults
Oregon Supreme Court •
Our brief argued that mandatory prosecution in adult court exposes youth to severe consequences. We further argued that ORS 419C.370 disproportionately results in criminal prosecution of Black youth, as Black youth are more likely to be subject to traffic stops and, when stopped, are more likely to be searched and subject to prosecution for motor vehicle-involved charges.
Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
Ohio Supreme Court •

Argued that Petitioner Bunch's sentence is unconstitutional pursuant to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Graham v. Florida, which held that juvenile offenders cannot be sentenced to life without parole without a meaningful and realistic opportunity to re-enter society prior to the expiration of their sentences for non-homicide offenses.

Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
Ohio District Courts of Appeal •
Juvenile Law Center filed an amicus brief in an Ohio District Court of Appeals in support of Mr. Graham arguing that the trial court failed to take into consideration the diminished culpability of older adolescents and emphasizing that a growing number of state and federal laws treat older adolescents like youth under 18. Our brief further argued that Mr. Graham’s harsh sentence exacerbates longstanding racial disparities in the application of criminal laws in Ohio and throughout the nation. 
Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division •
Our brief provided the Court with context on the history of youth sentencing and argued that, in the 1980s and 1990s, racist characterizations of youth in the media, and unsupported scholarly predictions about youth, race and crime led to a moral panic about violent youth criminals. The legislative changes brought about by these false narratives had lasting effects for youth, particularly Black and Brown youth.