News & Events

Today, a graduation ceremony was held at the California Central District’s United States Courthouse in Los Angeles for 10 people who successfully completed the Conviction and Sentence Alternatives (CASA) Program. The event was held in the ceremonial courtroom and presided over by the Hon. Dolly Gee, U.S. District Court Judge, Hon. Paul Abrams, U.S. Magistrate Judge, and Hon. Virginia Phillips, Chief U.S. District Judge. Friends and family attended the graduation ceremony. Staff from the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California attended […]..

United States v. Rivera-Muniz, __ F.3d __, 2017 WL 1404193 (9th Cir. Apr. 20, 2017): The Court held that a California manslaughter conviction (Cal. Penal Code §192(a)) is categorically a crime of violence (namely, generic manslaughter) for purposes of U.S.S.G. §2L1.2. United States v. Barker, __ Fed.Appx. __, 2017 WL 1433330 (9th Cir. Apr. 24, 2017), and United States v. Andrews, __ Fed.Appx. __, 2017 WL 1433316 (9th Cir. Apr. 24, 2017): The Court rejected vagueness challenges to U.S.S.G. §4B1.2’s residual clause in light of […]..

United States v. Arriaga-Pinon, __ F.3d __, Case No. 16-50188 (9th Cir. Apr. 7, 2017): The Court held that, under the modified categorical approach, the defendant’s conviction under California Vehicle Code §10851(a) (theft and unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle) was not an aggravated felony. The Court therefore did not have to reach the defendant’s argument that its 2013 decision in Duenas-Alvarez holding that §10851(a) is divisible is clearly irreconcilable with Mathis. Concurring, Judge Thomas noted that, because Mathis has altered the legal landscape, […]..

UCLA School of Law Professor (and former Deputy Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California) Ingrid Eagly has been honored with UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor for academic instruction at the university. Eagly, the faculty director of UCLA Law’s David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, is one of six professors to receive the honor in 2017. The Distinguished Teaching Award was first granted in 1961. It aims to inspire students and faculty by shining a light on […]..

Beckles v. United States, __ S.Ct. __, 2017 WL 855781 (Mar. 6, 2017): The Supreme Court held that the Sentencing Guidelines in general—and the residual clause of the career-offender guideline in particular—are not subject to vagueness challenges under the Due Process Clause. United States v. Jenkins, __ F.3d __, 2017 WL 727154 (7th Cir. Feb. 24, 2017): The Court held that kidnapping under 18 U.S.C. §1201(a) is not a crime of violence for purposes of 18 U.S.C. §924(c) because it does not have as an […]..

United States v. Steiner, __ F.3d __, 2017 WL 437657 (3d Cir. Feb. 1, 2017): The Court held that Pennsylvania burglary (18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. §3502(A)) is categorically not a crime of violence for purposes of U.S.S.G. §2K2.1 / §4B1.2. United States v. Driver, __ F.3d __, 2017 WL 382307 (11th Cir. Jan. 27, 2017): The Court held that Florida’s false-imprisonment statute (Fla. Stat. Ann. §787.02)—which defines the crime as “forcibly, by threat, or secretly confining, abducting, imprisoning, or restraining another person without lawful […]..

Since its inception in 2005, STAR has worked with more than 100 participants and has successfully graduated 45 individuals...

STAR has a 3-phase structure. Participants “phase up” based on their performance in the program, including participating in substance abuse and/or mental health treatment; attending court sessions and self-help meetings...

All STAR participant treatments plans are individualized based on the participant’s specific needs...

As a STAR participant, you will be expected to attend weekly STAR court sessions, remain in contact with probation and, perhaps most importantly, you must make every effort to remain clean and sober.  In addition to random drug testing, you would also be expected to engage in some form of drug treatment or therapy, attend at least three 12 Step meetings per week, and seek employment or educational opportunities.  At least once a month, the entire STAR program also participates in several hours of community […]..