PRISON PROJECT
The Advocacy Center
Knowledge is a powerful tool. Everyone deserves access to it.
Free legal education, research, court resources, and practical guidance for incarcerated people, their families, and advocates.
You Don't Have to Understand Everything to Begin
The legal system can be confusing, especially when someone you love is incarcerated and you cannot afford an attorney.
You may be trying to understand an appeal, investigate a missing document, challenge a conviction, obtain prison records, or learn about someone's rights.
Our purpose is to help you understand the problem, organize the information, and identify questions and resources for your next step.
IMPORTANT: LEGAL DEADLINES
Appeals, habeas petitions, grievances, and other legal proceedings may have strict deadlines. Reading these materials, requesting records, or contacting Prison Project does not stop a deadline. Check the current rules that apply to your case and seek qualified legal help promptly when time may be running out.
START WITH YOUR PROBLEM
What Do You Need Help Understanding?
Choose the subject closest to your situation. These starting points explain what information to collect and what questions to ask.
I Need to Appeal a Conviction
Learn why the judgment date, court, notice requirements, transcripts, and procedural stage matter.
My Lawyer Failed Me
Understand ineffective assistance of counsel, evidence of attorney errors, prejudice, and procedural barriers.
Evidence Was Hidden or Missing
Explore Brady issues, witness contradictions, missing records, false testimony, and evidence preservation.
I Need Habeas or Post-Conviction Information
Understand why state habeas, federal habeas, and other post-conviction procedures are not interchangeable.
I Need Records or Documents
Learn how to organize court records, transcripts, correspondence, grievances, and other supporting documents.
Prison Rights, Grievances, and Medical Care
Explore disability accommodations, healthcare complaints, grievance records, and prison conditions.
YOUR FIRST STEPS
Start With What You Can Prove
- Identify the case. Record the person's name, court, case number, and the most recent legal decision.
- Write a timeline. Put important events and documents in date order.
- Protect deadlines. Identify current rules and any urgent filing date.
- Separate facts from questions. Record what documents establish and what still needs investigation.
- Find the right resource. Use the guides, official court information, and Motion Vault to continue your research.
UNDERSTAND YOUR NEXT STEP
Appeals
Start with the judgment, appeal orders, court docket, and any notices filed. Identify the court and procedural stage before assuming which deadline or appeal procedure applies.
Featured program in preparation: The Road Back.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Identify the specific act or omission, the records showing what happened, and the evidence needed to evaluate its legal significance. An attorney's mistake does not automatically establish a constitutional violation.
Featured program in preparation: When Your Lawyer Failed You.
Missing Evidence and False Testimony
List the missing item, where it may have originated, who possessed it, when it was discovered, and how it relates to the trial evidence. Distinguish a contradiction from proof of a disclosure violation or knowing use of false testimony.
Featured program in preparation: What the Jury Never Saw.
Habeas and Post-Conviction Relief
Document all earlier filings and decisions. Different courts have different rules on timeliness, exhaustion, procedural default, repeat petitions, and available relief.
Use jurisdiction-specific court forms and current rules. Do not assume a form from one state works in another.
Records and Evidence Recovery
Build a document list with the item name, date, source, person or office holding it, request date, and response. Preserve original files whenever possible, and record what is still missing.
Public-records requests, attorney files, court records, and criminal discovery may be governed by different access rules.
Prison Rights and Grievances
Keep a dated record of requests, complaints, medical encounters, responses, and appeals. Prison grievance rules and federal exhaustion requirements can affect whether and when a claim may proceed.
Urgent medical or safety concerns require prompt attention through appropriate available channels.
AVAILABLE RESOURCE
The Prison Project Motion Vault
Search our growing collection of court opinions, legal research, official forms, and litigation resources.
Search by case name, legal issue, or keyword. Results link to individual resource pages where you can examine the available information and original source references.
Important: Many entries are research resources, not reviewed or filing-ready motions. Always check the document's jurisdiction, limitations, and current legal requirements.
THE EDUCATION LIBRARY
Major Guides Being Prepared
Prison Project is developing extensive free educational programs with lessons, legal sources, examples, and worksheets. They will be introduced as individual sections complete publication review.
IN PREPARATION
The Road Back
A step-by-step education system for appeals, post-conviction proceedings, and understanding what may come after a conviction.
IN PREPARATION
When Your Lawyer Failed You
Learn how ineffective-assistance claims are investigated, documented, and evaluated under the legal standards that apply.
IN PREPARATION
What the Jury Never Saw
Practical education on hidden evidence, false testimony, Brady issues, historical records, and post-conviction investigation.
Essential Knowledge Should Be Free
Our public education is being developed for people who may have no money for an attorney, limited access to technology, or very little experience with legal terminology.
Core lessons, source information, procedural explanations, and practical self-help resources are intended to remain free.
An optional Advocacy Access program is being developed for additional advanced workshops and organized resources. Any future member services will be described when they are actually available.
Help Us Build Something Useful
What legal problem is hardest for your family to understand? Which resources would help you most?
We welcome suggestions for future legal education and public research.
Please do not email confidential legal records, medical details, or sensitive personal information without an appropriate secure process.