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The Cornell Law School Innocence Clinic selects cases based on a number of factors.  The Clinic prioritizes cases from individuals wrongly convicted in state or federal court in upstate New York.  In addition, a prisoner’s claim generally must meet the following criteria:

1. The prisoner must still be incarcerated, serving the sentence for the wrongful conviction, with at least five (5) years to serve.
2. The prisoner must have exhausted all direct appeals.
3. The prisoner must not be represented by another attorney and must no longer have a right to appointed counsel.
4. The prisoner must have a claim of innocence that can be proven based on substantial new evidence that has not been considered previously by a court.
5. The prisoner must have had no involvement in the crime whatsoever.

To submit a case for consideration, please request and fill out a screening questionnaire and mail it to the Innocence Clinic.  To request a questionnaire, or to submit a fully completed questionnaire, please write to:  Innocence Clinic, Cornell Law School, Myron Taylor Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853.

PLEASE NOTE that submission of a questionnaire does not constitute any agreement by the Innocence Clinic to represent you, and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.