ABA Court Watching
ABA SCLAID and CRSJ have coordinated on a number of court watching efforts. These efforts have focused on misdemeanor and other low-level criminal and civil infraction courts.
Court Watching
The Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense (SCLAID) is working to improve public defense systems nationwide.
Events, Meetings & CLE
SCLAID regularly hosts, sponsors or co-sponsors a variety of events on topics relating to public defense or of interest to the public defense community. This page features upcoming events, meetings and CLE, as well as past events available on video.
Katrina 15th Anniversary Programs: From Katrina to COVID
To mark the 15th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense (SCLAID) together with the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU Law School, the ABA Criminal Justice Section and the ABA Section on Civil Rights and Social Justice present webinars on the impact of crisis on two key components of the criminal justice system: Jails and Prisons, and Public Defense. The programs will consider what happens to people trapped in the criminal justice system during times of extreme systemic stress and whether or not such times of crisis can be catalysts for reform. Please join us for these free (non-CLE) programs.
COVID-19 Resources
Across the country, civil and criminal justice system stakeholders have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of ways that affect access to justice. SCLAID has compiled resources on this issue for the benefit of the access to justice community.