GUIDELINE 5.1 – ATTORNEY ELIGIBILITY
The appointing authority should distribute assignments to attorneys who qualify under either of the alternative procedures detailed below in paragraphs I. TRIAL, II. APPEAL, and III. POSTCONVICTION.
1. TRIAL
A. Lead trial counsel assignments should be distributed to attorneys who:
i. are members of the bar admitted to practice in the jurisdiction or admitted to practice pro hac vice; and
ii. are experienced and active trial practitioners with at least five years litigation experience in the field of criminal defense; and
iii. have prior experience as lead counsel in no fewer than nine jury trials of serious and complex cases which were tried to completion, as well as prior experience as lead counsel or co-counsel in at least one case in which the death penalty was sought. In addition, of the nine jury trials which were tried to completion, the attorney should have been lead counsel in at least three cases in which the charge was murder or aggravated murder; or alternatively, of the nine jury trials, at least one was a murder or aggravated murder trial and an additional five were felony jury trials; and
iv. are familiar with the practice and procedure of the criminal courts of the jurisdiction; and
v. are familiar with and experienced in the utilization of expert witnesses and evidence, including, but not limited to, psychiatric and forensic evidence; and
vi. have attended and successfully completed, within one year of their appointment, a training or educational program on criminal advocacy which focused on the trial of cases in which the death penalty is sought; and
vii. have demonstrated the necessary proficiency and commitment which exemplify the quality of representation appropriate to capital cases.
B. Trial co-counsel assignments should be distributed to attorneys who:
i. are members of the bar admitted to practice in the jurisdiction or admitted to practice pro hac vice; and
ii. who qualify as lead counsel under paragraph (A) of this Guideline or meet the following requirements:
a. are experienced and active trial practitioners with at least three years litigation experience in the field of criminal defense; and
b. have prior experience as lead counsel or co-counsel in no fewer than three jury trials of serious and complex cases which were tried to completion, at least two of which were trials in which the charge was murder or aggravated murder; or alternatively, of the three jury trials, at least one was a murder or aggravated murder trial and one was a felony jury trial; and
C. are familiar with the practice and procedure of the criminal courts of the jurisdiction; and
d. have completed within one year of their appointment at least one training or educational program on criminal advocacy which focused on the trial of cases in which the death penalty is sought; and
e. have demonstrated the necessary proficiency and commitment which exemplify the quality of representation appropriate to capital cases.
C. Alternate Procedures: Appointments for lead and co-counsel assignments may also be distributed to persons with extensive criminal trial experience or extensive civil litigation experience, if it is clearly demonstrated to the appointing authority that competent representation will be provided to the capitally charged indigent defendant. Lawyers appointed under this paragraph shall meet one or more of the following qualifications:
i. Experience in the trial of death penalty cases which does not meet the levels detailed in paragraphs A or B above;
ii. Specialized post-graduate training in the defense of persons accused of capital crimes;
iii. The availability of ongoing consultation support from experienced death penalty counsel.
Attorneys appointed under this paragraph should be prescreened by a panel of experienced death penalty attorneys (see Guideline 3.1) to ensure that they will provide competent representation.
II. APPEAL
A. Lead appellate counsel assignments should be distributed to attorneys who:
i. are members of the bar admitted to practice in the jurisdiction or admitted to practice pro hac vice: and
ii. are experienced and active trial or appellate practitioners with at least three years experience in the field of criminal defense; and
iii. have prior experience within the last three years as lead counsel or co-counsel in the appeal of at least one case where a sentence of death was imposed, as well as prior experience within the last three years as lead counsel in the appeal of no fewer than three felony convictions in federal or state court, at least one of which was an appeal of murder or aggravated murder conviction; or alternatively, have prior experience within the last three years as lead counsel in the appeal of no fewer than six felony convictions in federal or state court, at least two of which were appeals of a murder or aggravated murder conviction; and
iv. are familiar with the practice and procedure of the appellate courts of the jurisdiction; and
v. have attended and successfully completed, within one year prior to their appointment, a training or educational program on criminal advocacy which focused on the appeal of cases in which a sentence of death was imposed; and
vi. have demonstrated the necessary proficiency and commitment which exemplify the quality of representation appropriate to capital cases.
B. Appellate co-counsel assignments may be distributed to attorneys who have less experience than attorneys who qualify as lead appellate counsel. At a minimum, however, appellate co-counsel candidates must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the appointing authority that they:
i. are members of the bar admitted to practice in the jurisdiction or admitted to practice pro hac vice; and
ii. have demonstrated adequate proficiency in appellate advocacy in the field of felony defense; and
iii. are familiar with the practice and procedure of the appellate courts of the jurisdiction; and
iv. have attended and successfully completed within two years of their appointment a training or educational program on criminal appellate advocacy.
C. Alternate Procedures: Appointments for lead and co-counsel assignments may also be distributed to persons with extensive criminal trial and/or appellate experience or extensive civil litigation and/or appellate experience, if it is clearly demonstrated to the appointing authority that competent representation will be provided to the capitally charged indigent defendant. Lawyers appointed under this paragraph shall meet one or more of the following qualifications:
i. Experience in the trial and/or appeal of death penalty cases which does not meet the levels detailed in paragraphs A or B above;
ii. Specialized post-graduate training in the defense of persons accused of capital crimes;
iii. The availability of ongoing consultation support from experienced death penalty counsel.
Attorneys appointed under this paragraph should be prescreened by a panel of experienced death penalty attorneys (see Guideline 3.1) to ensure that they will provide competent representation.
III. POSTCONVICTION
Assignments to represent indigents in postconviction proceedings in capital cases should be distributed to attorneys who:
i. are members of the bar admitted to practice in the jurisdiction or admitted to practice pro hac vice; and
ii. are experienced and active trial practitioners with at least three years litigation experience in the field of criminal defense; and
iii. have prior experience as counsel in no fewer than five jury or bench trials of serious and complex cases which were tried to completion, as well as prior experience as postconviction counsel in at least three cases in state or federal court. In addition, of the five jury or bench trials which were tried to completion, the attorney should have been counsel in at least three cases in which the charge was murder or aggravated murder; or alternatively, of the five trials, at least one was a murder or aggravated murder trial and an additional three were felony jury trials; and
iv. are familiar with the practice and procedure of the appropriate courts of the jurisdiction; and
v. have attended and successfully completed, within one year prior to their appointment, a training or educational program on criminal advocacy which focused on the postconviction phase of a criminal case, or alternatively, a program which focused on the trial of cases in which the death penalty is sought; and
vi. have demonstrated the necessary proficiency and commitment which exemplify the quality of representation appropriate to capital cases.
In addition to the experience level detailed above, it is desirable that at least one of the two postconviction counsel also possesses appellate experience at the level described in 11.B. above (relating to appellate co-counsel).
B. Alternate Procedures: Appointments for lead and co-counsel assignments may also be distributed to persons with extensive criminal trial, appellate and/or postconviction experience or extensive civil litigation and/or appellate experience, if it is clearly demonstrated to the appointing authority that competent representation will be provided to the capitally charged indigent defendant. Lawyers appointed under this paragraph shall meet one or more of the following qualifications:
i. Experience in trial, appeal and/or postconviction representation in death penalty cases which does not meet the levels detailed in paragraph A above;
ii. Specialized post-graduate training in the defense of persons accused of capital crimes;
iii. The availability of ongoing consultation support from experienced death penalty counsel.
Attorneys appointed under this paragraph should be prescreened by a panel of experienced death penalty attorneys (see Guideline 3.1) to ensure that they will provide competent representation.