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Innocence Project
Law 158
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 located in Room 158 of the Law School.
MTIP is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to exonerating the innocent
and preventing wrongful convictions in Montana.
Using DNA and other evidence, MTIP provides the charitable legal and investigative
assistance necessary to pursue credible claims of innocence. Innocence Projects
nationwide have helped to free hundreds of wrongly convicted Americans, including
three Montanans.
Students in the MTIP Innocence Clinic will assist in the initial screening, research,
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 provable; 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. The interdisciplinary Innocence Clinic also engages UM journalism
students in case investigation, and clinic students may have an opportunity to
collaborate on cases. Besides working on individual cases, students will gain
a broader understanding of wrongful convictions and how to address and prevent
them.
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