California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic

California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic (formerly known as California Innocence Project) works to free the wrongfully convicted.
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To donate please go to: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/725109/donate California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic (IJC), formerly known as California Innocence Project, is housed at California Western School of Law (CWSL). IJC has helped free many innocent people from prison. CWSL students can apply to IJC and gain real world experience by working to help free the wrongfully convicted.

Join California Western’s Innocence and Justice Clinic on September 16 for an engaging conversation with Calvin Duncan, ...
09/01/2026

Join California Western’s Innocence and Justice Clinic on September 16 for an engaging conversation with Calvin Duncan, author of the award-winning book The Jailhouse Lawyer.

Wrongfully convicted of murder in the 1980s, Duncan became a “jailhouse lawyer,” developing expertise in prisoners’ rights and habeas litigation. After securing his own release in 2011, he earned his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School and was elected criminal court clerk in New Orleans in 2025.

In The Jailhouse Lawyer, Duncan describes how laws passed in the 1990s restricted access to justice for incarcerated individuals and how Mr. Duncan and others at Angola's prison law library managed to educate themselves on the law and build friendships that sustained them in the face of impossible odds.

September 16 | 5:00–6:30 p.m. | CWSL Lecture Hall 1

For registration information, please email [email protected].

Our clinic students demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication this year. In the 2025–2026 academic year, they comp...
07/01/2026

Our clinic students demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication this year. In the 2025–2026 academic year, they completed over 2,300 hours of case work, and in the spring semester they filed 4 post-conviction motions. This work highlights their commitment to their clients and the value of experiential legal education.

In Hunter v United States, the Court considered whether appellate waivers can bar defendants from challenging sentencing...
06/23/2026

In Hunter v United States, the Court considered whether appellate waivers can bar defendants from challenging sentencing errors. In a notable concurrence, Justice Gorsuch, joined by Justices Sotomayor and Jackson, used the case to offer a broader critique of the plea-bargaining system.

Last week was a busy and exciting one for Susie, our summer extern and rising 3L at CWSL. She filed a post-conviction mo...
06/15/2026

Last week was a busy and exciting one for Susie, our summer extern and rising 3L at CWSL. She filed a post-conviction motion in Los Angeles and made her first court appearance on a separate case in San Diego.

We’re thrilled to have Susie on our team and look forward to her continued success this summer!

Before the semester ended, IJC clinic students Jacquelyn and Jason traveled to Centinela State Prison to meet with a cli...
05/27/2026

Before the semester ended, IJC clinic students Jacquelyn and Jason traveled to Centinela State Prison to meet with a client. Meeting their client in person was a meaningful way to conclude their Clinic experience.

Last month, our team traveled to Chicago to attend the Innocence Network Conference, where organizations from across the...
05/20/2026

Last month, our team traveled to Chicago to attend the Innocence Network Conference, where organizations from across the country came together to collaborate, share knowledge, and support those impacted by wrongful convictions.

We returned inspired by the impactful work, conversations, and shared commitment to justice by all the organizations participating in the conference.

Photo 2 by Jennifer Watkins / Lyra Photography.

Volunteer with us this summer and earn hours towards the Pro Bono or Public Service Honors Programs! You can find the ap...
05/18/2026

Volunteer with us this summer and earn hours towards the Pro Bono or Public Service Honors Programs! You can find the application here:https://www.cwsl.edu/ijc_volunteer_application.pdf

Email us for any questions at: [email protected]

Congratulations to our graduating clinic students, Grace, Z, Diana, and Jason! We are so proud of all the work they acc...
05/13/2026

Congratulations to our graduating clinic students, Grace, Z, Diana, and Jason!

We are so proud of all the work they accomplished this year and excited for their next chapters at the San Diego Public Defender’s Office, Marine Judge Advocates, and California Supreme Court!

We're incredibly proud of Diana and Yasmin, who have been working hard on behalf of our clients! Last week, they travele...
04/03/2026

We're incredibly proud of Diana and Yasmin, who have been working hard on behalf of our clients! Last week, they traveled to Valley State Prison to meet with a client and this week they filed a post-conviction motion for another client.

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225 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA
92101

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