Application process
The Arizona Justice Project takes cases of actual innocence or cases in which some manifest injustice occurred in Arizona.
Due to our limited resources, the case review process could take several months, and several years if we accept the case to proceed through the courts or before the Board of Executive Clemency.
We work as quickly as possible to respond to all inmate requests for case evaluation.
Qualify
Self-assessment
To quality for review, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- You are serving time on an Arizona conviction or a federal conviction stemming from an incident in Arizona.
- You have a claim of actual innocence or manifest injustice.
- You are not currently represented by an attorney or entitled to an attorney at public expense.
If you’re not sure if you, a family member, or friend qualifies, please feel free to contact us.
Pre-Screen application
Submit short application to rule-out conflicts.
Download, complete, and sign the following pre-screening application to help us determine whether any legal conflicts exist.
Return completed and signed application to either:
Email: AZ Justice Project
Intake
Submit full application and case profile.
Once we determine there are no conflicts, we will send you a more comprehensive application that collects important information about your case that will assist in our review.
You must also sign the last page of the application, which authorizes the Justice Project to speak with the prior attorneys involved in your case.
Case Investigation
During this stage of the case review process, the team conducts a thorough investigation into the facts of the case, its procedural history, the availability of any evidence for further testing or analysis, and any outstanding legal claims that could be raised in post-conviction relief proceedings.
The review team may also consult with forensic experts and other specialists to determine whether there is a legal basis to return to court or to appear before the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency.
Acceptance
If there is a legal avenue to pursue, the Arizona Justice Project will accept your case pro bono. A team will be assigned to navigate a path to freedom. Please understand the litigation process could take several months to many years depending on the avenue pursued.
We work as quickly as possible to respond to all inmate requests for case evaluation.