LAW 0783: Federal Reentry Court Clinic
Spring 2020 • Section 21

Course Description

Students will have the opportunity to assist in the Supervision to Aid Reentry Court (STAR) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The STAR program assists previously incarcerated federal prisoners to successfully reenter the community. Federal judges, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Federal Defender's Office, the U.S. Probation Office, the Reentry Coordinator, and the Legal Intern Coordinator work together as a team to discuss each participant's progress and develop plans to help participants succeed. Some of the legal issues that students will work on include: challenging arrears accrued on child support orders while incarcerated, adjusting child support payments, assisting participants in overcoming barriers to employment such as help obtaining occupational licenses, challenging traffic violations, and screening and registering participants for benefits. The bulk of in-court student representation takes place in Traffic Court.Students will participate in either Morning or Afternoon Reentry Court. Morning occurs every other Tuesday from 9 am to 11:15 am. Afternoon occurs every other Wednesday from 3 pm to 6 pm. In addition to engaging in experiential learning, students will also attend a seminar held on every other Wednesday at 5 pm to 7 pm.In the seminar, students will consider topics that include mass incarceration, collateral consequences of incarceration, and restorative justice. Students will represent participants in legal matters, and may also write position papers and give presentations on the broader issues associated with reentry.

Book List/Materials