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.

Filing Rules Summary

A summary of filing & service requirements in non-capital criminal, juvenile, and select
mental health cases in the Court of Appeal.

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.

home office with natural light and house plants

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.

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News

  • Clarification: Division Two Juvenile Fast-Track Procedure
  • Panel Recruitment Resource & Event
  • ADI Website Updates
  • MCLE Opportunities
  • CAP-SF Executive Director Open Position

Events

How to Build an Appellate Practice

October 17th from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. | Remote

Learn about the benefits of handling court-appointed appeals, including greater work-life balance and the opportunity to shape the law. The program will feature panelists from the appellate projects and panel attorneys. If you want to learn about how to begin and/or expand your appellate practice to include criminal, juvenile (delinquency & dependency), and civil appointed appeals, this informational session is for you!

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.

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