Resources: Legal Resources
PARC corresponds with and mails a directory of these resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. We are often the first point of contact for people to connect with prisoners' rights organizations, community organizations, prison literature and arts projects, family and visiting resources, health care and legal resources, parole and pre-release resources, and the prison abolition movement.
Download a PDF copy of the April 2026 Edition here.
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Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project Free investigative and legal assistance to innocent prisoners convicted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia who have provable claims of innocence, either by DNA testing or by other newly discovered evidence. The prisoner must not be currently represented by another attorney in his or her criminal case, or have the right to appointed counsel in the case. Write in for questionnaire. D.C., Maryland and Virginia only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Midwest Innocence Project Accepts cases of actual innocence in AR, IA, KS, MO, and NE; applicants must have more than 10 years left to serve on their sentence; cannot be currently represented by another attorney except for Iowa applicants; must have exhausted all appeals. Also reviews death penalty cases. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Montana Innocence Project Accepts DNA and non-DNA cases of actual factual innocence. Also considers applications where the sentence was manifestly unreasonable given the circumstances and level of involvement in a crime, especially for those under 25 at sentencing, over 60 or medically infirm, women, survivors of domestic abuse, and where racial prejudice tainted the conviction. Prisoners must have been convicted of a felony crime in a Montana state or federal court; must have completed trial, sentencing and direct appeals; must not currently be represented by an attorney. Priority is given to cases where convincing and corroborating evidence can establish actual innocence. Serves Montana only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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National Office of the NLG - Prison Law Project The National Lawyers Guild does not provide lawyers or legal assistance; they offer free membership for jailhouse lawyers, which includes the ability to vote on national resolutions and to receive the tri-annual newsletter, Guild Notes. The NLG also publishes the Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook with the Center for Constitutional Rights. See PARC RECOMMENDED BOOKS at the end of this Directory for more info on how to order. (To order a handbook and/or request membership, send a request to National Lawyers Guild, PO Box 1266, New York, NY 10009). There is also an online form available at https://www.jailhouselaw.org/ to request a Handbook. |
Legal Resources |
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New England Innocence Project Accepts cases of actual innocence in CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and VT in which the prisoner has a claim of factual innocence; no time requirement DNA and non-DNA cases; will consider arson and shaken baby syndrome cases; may consider child abuse cases. Serves New England states, except New York. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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New Mexico Innocence and Justice Project NMIJP’s primary mission is to provide assistance and referrals to people wrongfully convicted in our state. NMIJP is an independent organization, and has no affiliation with any other project in New Mexico. They will be opening to review and refer cases soon. In the meantime, please direct questions or concerns to info@nmijp.org. Serves New Mexico only.
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Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence Accepts cases of actual innocence in North Carolina and South Carolina; DNA and non-DNA cases; will consider arson and shaken baby syndrome cases, and may consider child abuse cases; typically limited to those in custody or with post-conviction restrictions, but exceptions are made. Serves NC and SC only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2006 and is charged with providing an independent and balanced truth-seeking forum for credible post-conviction claims of innocence in North Carolina. The Commission is separate from the appeals process. A person exonerated by the Commission process is declared innocent and cannot be re-tried again. Serves North Carolina felonies only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Northern California Innocence Project Accepts actual innocence cases for people convicted in a Northern or Central California county; DNA and non-DNA cases; no minimum sentence requirements. The applicant must have been convicted in state court of a serious felony. Will consider cases involving faulty forensic science, police or prosecutor misconduct, ineffective assistance of counsel, eyewitness misidentification, false testimony and false confessions. Northern and Central California only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Ohio Innocence Project Accepts cases of actual innocence in Ohio; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Only serves prisoners in Ohio. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |