LAW 0783: Federal Reentry Court Clinic
Fall 2024 • Section 21 • CRN 28352

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. Under the supervision of practicing attorneys, students will interview and counsel clients, draft pleadings, conduct fact investigations, and represent clients in court proceedings. Some of the legal issues that students will work on include: waiving state court costs and fines, restoring driving privileges, challenging traffic citations and fines, challenging default judgments entered while incarcerated, assisting with business/non-profit formation,handling family law matters, addressing landlord/tenant disputes, and assisting returning citizens with other legal barriers to reentry. The bulk of in-court student representation takes place in the Traffic Division of Municipal 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 5:30 pm. Students will also attend a seminar held on every other Thursday from 4 pm to 6 pm. The seminar will develop students’ lawyering skills, provide legal training, and explore problems and responses to mass incarceration, including the use of discretion in the criminal justice system, collateral consequences of conviction, problem solving courts, and other alternatives to incarceration.

Book List/Materials