A non-profit law firm providing quality legal representation and supporting the appellate defense community in the fight for justice.
Featured Resources
Appellate Practice Manual
ADI’s treatise on appellate procedure for appointed attorneys.
Forms & Samples
Commonly used forms tailored to Fourth District practice.
Fourth District Practice
A summary of Fourth Appellate District practices, policies, and procedures.
Fourth District Filing & Service
Summary of filing requirements for briefs and other documents in non-capital criminal and juvenile cases in California Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Statewide Claims Manual
California’s line by line instructions for filing compensation claims.
Claims Portal
ADI’s claims portal for appointed counsel to submit, review and check the status of claims.
ADI strives to provide quality resources to facilitate excellent indigent representation in California appeals.
Access to MCLE materials and confidential legal resources is contingent on an active membership with one of the project panels.
How to Become a Panel Attorney
ADI regularly accepts applications for both our criminal and dependency panels. We value quality applicants who have a demonstrated dedication to indigent defense work, strong writing skills, and a willingness to be a zealous advocate for clients.
News
- ADI & Court Holiday Closures
- Rule 2 Automatic Extensions for Briefs in Omitted Records (Amended Nov. 2024)
- Special In-Person MCLE at ADI: The Power of Story
- New Training Series: Getting Paid For Your Work: Navigating Claims
- MCLE Opportunities
- ADI Website Updates
Events
The Power of Story
January 28, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Hybrid
Presenter: Vincent Brunkow, Chief Appellate Attorney, Federal Defenders on San Diego, Inc.
Hosted at ADI
Philosophy, science, and research all support the use of story-based narratives to most effectively communicate with others. The goal of an appellate brief is to persuade judges to rule in favor of our client. But appellate briefs too often overlook storytelling techniques. This hybrid training will discuss the structure and components of good storytelling to empower participants to tell winning stories in their cases.
1.0 hour of general MCLE credit is offered for this training.
About ADI
Appellate Defenders, Inc., is a non-profit law firm administering the appointed counsel system for the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District.