Roper v. Simmons
How Will This Case Change Practice in the Courtroom?
Produced by ABA Section of Litigation Children’s Rights Litigation Committee and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education
Faculty Members:
Lauren Adams, Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, IL.
Simmie Baer, Defender Association, Seattle, WA.
Steve Harper, Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, Miami, FL.
Danielle Spinelli, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Mark Wellek, Phoenix, AZ
On March 1, 2005, the Supreme Court struck down the juvenile death penalty in the case of Roper v. Simmons. Although this decision is a tremendous victory for juveniles (and for the ABA, which filed an amicus brief in this case), work that needs to be done to implement the decision. This program will show you how to use this decision in your daily practice.
This program examines outcomes from Roper v. Simmons including how this case will affect juveniles who are charged with significant sentences (for example, life without possibility of parole), how the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Roper affects what defenders can do, and the confirmation that children and adults are different.
Duration: 90 minutes
Credit Hours: 1.5 hours in a 60-minute state, 1.8 hours in a
50-minute state
Recorded from a live program on June 22, 2005
MCLE credit is subject to each state's regulations. Some states do not approve online courses for MCLE credit or have specific rules regarding who may earn credit or the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned through online CLE. Please contact your state if you have any questions.
