MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

             Welcome to the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey.  Our organization celebrates its 24th year in 2008, and with our membership over 400 strong, the ACDL-NJ is as vibrant as ever.

            If you practice criminal defense in the State of New Jersey and are not a member of our organization, please consider joining the men and women of the ACDL-NJ who protect the Bill of Rights and stand between the power of government and all of our citizens.  Membership is free for those attorneys admitted to practice three years or less.

            Why should you become involved in the ACDL-NJ?  The career of a criminal defense lawyer is often lonely and what we do is often unpopular and misunderstood.  As a member of this great organization, you have the entire membership behind you - whether it be legal representation by our Lawyers Assistance Committee or a simple phone call to a fellow member for some guidance. 

            Our monthly meetings, most of which are open to the full membership, are insightful and educational - like CLE seminars in and of themselves.  When CLE becomes mandatory for all New Jersey lawyers, we will be at the forefront for you with the best and the brightest to learn from.  Our Legislative Committee is now more important than ever, with (1) in (100) Americans serving a prison sentence or otherwise incarcerated.  Perhaps your help -- your letter to a lawmaker or appearance before a legislative committee -- will convince our lawmakers that the people of New Jersey don’t need another mandatory minimum sentencing statute.

            We need you now more than ever to join the fight against the reduction of peremptory challenges.  Please contact any Officer or Trustee to ask how you may help to preserve the number of peremptory challenges that are so crucial to the overall fairness of the jury selection process.

            This past July, because of our history of filing topflight briefs and presenting compelling oral argument, we were invited by the New Jersey Supreme Court to appear as Amicus in a significant Fourth Amendment case to be argued in late September 2008.  Contact our Amicus Committee if you are interested in taking on an Amicus matter on behalf of the organization.

            Consider attending our annual Super Saturday seminar, scheduled for November 1, 2008, at the Woodbridge Hilton in Iselin (Metro Park).  Or please join us for one of our meetings, which are open to the full membership.  Click on the Calendar of Events link on this homepage.  Our meetings are a great way to meet attorneys from the entire State, private practitioners from law firms big and small, and public defenders who fight in the trenches on a daily basis.  

            I look forward to a great year as the 24th President of the ACDL-NJ and welcome your participation. 

                                                                        John C. Whipple, President