The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) is pleased to unveil its 2024/2025 Criminal Justice and Actual Innocence (CJAI) Programs. This year, the programs are not only expanding their reach beyond the Dallas-Fort Worth area to include San Antonio, South Texas, and more, but they are also entering a new chapter under the leadership of Shannon Evans. CAIL’s CJAI Programs are supported by grants from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Evans, who was appointed Director of CAIL’s CJAI Programs in early 2024, is overseeing her first full fiscal year of these impactful programs. "It is a privilege to lead these programs as we expand our geographic reach and deepen our commitment to providing essential training for legal professionals," said Evans. "This year’s offerings are designed to address the evolving challenges in criminal justice and to equip practitioners with the skills they need to make a meaningful difference."
The 2024/2025 CJAI Programs will cover a range of critical topics, with sessions via webinar or in-person at CAIL’s education center in Plano, TX, as well as at new locations across the state:
- October 30, 2024 – Defending Veterans: Serving Those Who Served (Webinar)
- November 14, 2024 – Defending Hemp and THC: Navigating the evolving landscape of cannabis defense (Webinar)
- January 16, 2025 – Leveraging AI: A Defense Tool
- March 12-13, 2025 – Capital Defense College
- March 30-31, 2025 – Operation Lone Star: 4th Annual Training (co-sponsored with TCDLA)
- April 11, 2025 – Ethical Challenges for Prosecutors (San Antonio, TX)
- April 23, 2025 – Jurors and Implicit Bias for the Defense
- May 8, 2025 – Mobile Devices for the Defense
- May 21-22, 2025 – Preventing Wrongful Convictions: 19th Annual Actual Innocence
- May 23, 2025 – Criminal Writs
- June 5, 2025 – Immigration and Padilla (South Texas)
- August 14-15, 2025 – Evidence Boot Camp: A course for Texas Law Students
- August 20-21, 2025 – Prosecution Capital and Non-Capital Trial Skills
- TBD – Voir Dire for the Prosecution (Tarrant County, TX)
- TBD – Criminal Defense Trial Skills (Tarrant County, TX)
These programs are structured to provide legal professionals with critical knowledge and skills tailored to the dynamic needs of the criminal justice field. As CAIL expands these offerings statewide, it remains committed to delivering high-quality education that supports the legal community in its pursuit of justice.
Program information, including details on faculty, topics, program venues, and more, will be posted as available on our Program Calendar. Parties interested in becoming sponsors for any of the programs are encouraged to contact the CJAI programs director at sevans@cailaw.org or 972-244-3415.
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About the Criminal Justice and Actual Innocence Programs at The Center for American and International Law - Established in 2003 and supported by grants from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, The Center for American and International Law's (CAIL) Criminal Justice and Actual Innocence (CJAI) programs are focused on advancing justice and reducing wrongful convictions through specialized training for defense attorneys, prosecutors, and other justice system stakeholders. Through seminars, workshops, and expert-led sessions, CAIL’s CJAI programs address critical issues in criminal justice, fostering a deeper understanding and promoting the highest standards of practice. For more information, visit cailaw.org/Criminal-Justice.
CAIL/IEL MEDIA CONTACT: Karla Lárraga, Communications Officer
Email: klarraga@cailaw.org
Phone: 972-244-3436