In recognition of the new year holiday, the return of Congress and the upcoming elections, we think this is a good time to post our relatively short list of our top legislative priorities:

Passage of the Innocence Protection Act.

A moratorium on the death penalty now, abolition in the future.

Eliminating mandatory minimum sentences.

Greater protections for non-citizens.

Fair treatment of juvenile offenders.

Blocking passage of the Victims Rights Amendment and other attempts to treat the Constitution as a “rough draft.”

Preventing more anti-terrorism laws passed in haste, without adequate opportunity for review.

Ensuring our laws reflect a balance between our need for security and the cherished individual freedoms that distinguish our nation and make it the beacon of liberty.

For more information about these issues, use the searchbox to the right or visit the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' excellent Legislation page.