The Training Division has recently released two videos related to the representation of clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first video, COVID-19 & Pretrial Release, reviewed core principles of constructing effective bail strategies to obtaining our clients’ release from custody during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The second video, CARES Act: Practice Alert, reviewed several provisions of the CARES Act that impact federal criminal defense practitioners and their clients, including the types of proceedings that can be conducted by video or telephone conferencing, the BOP’s expanded authority to lengthen the maximum amount of time for which our clients may be placed on home confinement, provisions allowing the BOP to provide free video and telephonic visitations, and other ways to facilitate the release of our most vulnerable clients to community supervision.
In addition to these videos, the Training Division has been accumulating resources to assist legal professionals represent clients during this time of uncertainty. These materials are located on fd.org and are being updated daily. Click here to access these materials.