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Innocence Project
Law 158 & 159
Supervising Attorney: Larry
Mansch
Faculty Supervisor:
Professor Jeff Renz
406.243.4823
jeff.renz@umontana.edu
Academic Year only – Maximum of 3 students
The Montana Innocence Project (MTIP) is an external clinic renting rooms 158
and 159 of the Law School. MTIP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
identifying and advancing credible claims of innocence made by Montana inmates.
It works to promote public awareness with the goal of preventing future wrongful
convictions, and achieves its mission through three components: casework, education
and outreach.
Students in the MTIP Clinic will assist in the initial screening, investigation,
development and litigation of innocence claims. In appropriate cases, clinic
students will be assigned to further investigate and address two key questions:
1) whether the innocence claim is credible; and 2) whether there are legal
avenues through which to pursue the innocence claim. Instruction will address
the laws and procedures governing attempts to reopen cases, including state
and federal habeas practice, claims of new evidence, and ineffective assistance
of counsel. It will also include other essential components of criminal appellate
practice, including review of trial documents and transcripts, evaluation and
research of legal issues, brief writing, and skills in the presentation of
oral arguments. In addition to working on individual cases, students will gain
an understanding of the broader context of wrongful convictions and the accomplishments
of students at other innocence projects nationwide.
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