Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is pleased to offer a free virtual training on how to conduct a meaningful first appearance hearing. This critical proceeding occurs soon after arrest and plays an important role in protecting community well-being and safety, upholding core legal values and rights, and determining how a case will proceed. The session takes place on Thursday, September 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET. The deadline to register is Thursday, August 31.
About the Training
The Supreme Court has stated that “In our society liberty is the norm, and detention prior to trial or without trial is the carefully limited exception” (United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739, 755 [1987]). Although this does not provide a formula for counties and states to determine what percentage of their pretrial population can be detained, it makes clear that the strong default presumption is that people be released while charges are pending. Courts can depart from that outcome only in a relatively small number of cases, through a fair and transparent process; only with a strong justification for doing so; and only when consistent with state and federal law.
The first appearance hearing is critical to upholding this right: decisions at first appearance often play a considerable role in determining whether someone is released or detained—and if detained, for how long. So it is crucial to structure these hearings in a way that protects the rights of the accused, leads to fair and equitable decisions, and ensures community well-being and safety.
This training will introduce the key elements of a fair, effective, and legally sound first appearance hearing, answering the question “If a first appearance hearing is to be consistent with the law and the foundational values of the U.S. legal system, what should it look like?” Using a panel discussion, the training will draw on experience from those working in and impacted by the criminal legal system. It will also offer guidance on how to effectively advance policies and practices concerning first appearance hearings in your jurisdiction.
Space in this training is limited. Prospective participants must complete a training registration application by Thursday, August 31, and be selected to attend.
Learning Objectives
Participants can expect to do the following by the end of the training:
- Understand the legal requirements and current legal trends that inform how to conduct a meaningful first appearance hearing
- Identify ways to evaluate whether current policies and practices conform to those legal requirements
- Learn strategies for implementing changes in your jurisdiction’s approach to first appearance hearings
Training Faculty
The trainers for these sessions have many years of experience working directly with jurisdictions to improve their pretrial policies and practices—ensuring that they are fair, just, and equitable and that they positively impact people, systems, and communities.
Matt Alsdorf, associate director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Mr. Alsdorf is a co–project director of APPR. He previously served as the vice president of criminal justice at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (now Arnold Ventures). Mr. Alsdorf provides assistance to jurisdictions and is responsible for the development of APPR’s pretrial resources.
Jessica Ireland, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Ms. Ireland has over 20 years of criminal legal system experience at both the state and local levels. She previously served as the program manager for Mecklenburg County Pretrial Services in North Carolina.
Keith Grant, attorney, Lake County Public Defender Office, and president, Illinois Public Defender Association
Mr. Grant has worked as an assistant public defender in Lake County for 31 years, working in and supervising nearly every division within that office. In 2017, Mr. Grant was named to the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices where he co-chaired a subcommittee examining meaningful first appearance. As a part of the Pretrial Implementation Task Force, he assisted in the development and presentation of a series of courses and materials on Illinois pretrial reform which was presented on-line and in person across the state. Additionally, Mr. Grant has presented and participated in panels on the PFA and pretrial reform for several bar associations and criminal defense organizations across the state.
Christopher Rashad Green, member, APPR Pretrial Practitioner Network
Brother Christopher Rashad Green spent 15 years of his life incarcerated in several states. After being released in 2013 for the last time, this returning citizen has articulated his distinctly emotional experiences in the criminal legal system. He appeared in the short documentary INJUSTICE: The Hidden Crisis in Virginia’s Prisons (2022), produced by the ACLU of Virginia. He has taught various workshops and for programs and panel discussions dealing with such topics as mass incarceration, prison reform, social justice, health equity, food insecurity, and youth justice.
Jeffrey Hall, chief of district court division, Oakland County (Michigan) Prosecutor’s Office
Application Process
If you are interested in attending the training session on September 7, complete the registration application. Please submit your application by Thursday, August 31.
Participation is limited, and priority consideration will go to people who work in the criminal legal system and to community members—particularly impacted people such as victims/survivors and individuals who have experience in the system. Space is also available for national technical assistance providers.
APPR will make selection decisions immediately after the August 31 registration deadline. Confirmed participants will receive additional information about the training, including how to attend the session and access related resources.
Please direct questions to Samuel Steed, operations assistant at the Center for Effective Public Policy, at ssteed@cepp.com.