Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 22 - CORRECTIONS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Part XV - Public Defender Board
Chapter 9 - Capital Defense Guidelines
Section XV-915 - Qualifications of Defense Counsel

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code XV-915

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Certification Standards Intended to Ensure High Quality Legal Representation

1. The certification standards and mechanisms established by these guidelines should be construed and applied in such a way as to further the overriding goal of providing each client with high quality legal representation.

B. Goals of Certification Standards

1. In formulating certification standards, the Public Defender Board seeks to insure:
a. that every attorney representing a capital defendant has:
i. obtained a license or permission to practice in the state of Louisiana;

ii. the skills, experience and capacity available to provide high quality capital defense representation;

iii. demonstrated a commitment to providing zealous advocacy and high quality legal representation in the defense of capital cases; and

iv. satisfied the training requirements set forth in §923;

b. that the pool of defense attorneys as a whole is such that each capital defendant in Louisiana receives high quality legal representation. Accordingly, the certification standards are meant to insure that the pool includes sufficient numbers of attorneys who have demonstrated:
i. substantial knowledge and understanding of the relevant state, federal and international law, both procedural and substantive, governing capital cases;

ii. skill in the management and conduct of complex negotiations and litigation;

iii. skill in legal research, analysis, and the drafting of litigation documents;

iv. skill in oral advocacy;

v. skill in the use of expert witnesses and familiarity with common areas of forensic investigation, including fingerprints, ballistics, forensic pathology, and DNA evidence;

vi. skill in the investigation, preparation, and presentation of evidence bearing upon mental status, including mental retardation;

vii. skill in the investigation, preparation, and presentation of mitigating evidence;

viii. skill in the elements of trial advocacy, such as jury selection, cross-examination of witnesses, and opening and closing statements; and

ix. skill in maintaining a strong working relationship with a capital defendant.

C. Standard Process for Certification

1. Certification is available for the roles of Trial Lead Counsel, Trial Associate Counsel, Appellate Lead Counsel, Appellate Associate Counsel, Post-Conviction Lead Counsel, or Post-Conviction Associate Counsel.

2. Attorneys seeking certification must submit a detailed application to the state public defender with the overall purpose of establishing their experience and knowledge in each of the categories in §915. B.1 b, as well as the minimum requirements for the particular role for which they seek certification as outlined in §915 D, and have satisfied the training requirements outlined in §923

3. The information in an application for certification shall include:
a. to the extent possible, a list of all capital cases in which the attorney has served as defense counsel, including the name of the defendant, judicial district court, trial judge, prosecuting attorneys, co-counsel, the result or verdict and any reported appellate decisions in the case;

b. any other experiences the attorney believes will establish his or her qualifications, including but not limited to:
i. non-capital trial or appellate experience;

ii. experience as a public defender or prosecutor, or as an attorney in a capital defense organization;

iii. observation of complete capital trials; and/or

iv. extensive research and/or training in the field of capital defense;

c. at least two samples of substantial written legal work product including analysis of complex legal issues, preferably filed in a capital case, prepared by the attorney at the trial, appellate or post-conviction level;

d. the names and phone numbers of two district court judges (or appellate judges in the case of appellate certification) or capital defense attorneys familiar with the attorney's work as an advocate;

e. written statement by the applicant describing the extent and source of relevant proficiencies in each of the categories in §915. B.1 b;

f. an authorization to permit the state public defender to obtain CLE records for the attorney both prior to and during any period of certification;

g. a signed undertaking that the attorney will comply with the continuing obligations of certified counsel detailed in §915 I;

h. a listing of the number of active trial, appellate or post-conviction cases the attorney has, and any non-active cases that may become active in the next year;

i. any other relevant background or specializations which might inform the state public defender of the attorney's qualifications for certification or the assignment of particular cases;

j. proof that the attorney is licensed to practice in Louisiana or has been granted permission to practice in a capital case or cases in Louisiana;

k. information relevant to assessing the applicant's professional, physical and mental fitness for certification, including:
i. any findings of professional misconduct in this or any other jurisdiction, including any findings of contempt of court;

ii. any matter affecting the applicant's physical health that would substantially impair the applicant's capacity to meet the requirements of certified capital counsel in these guidelines and associated performance standards; and/or

iii. any matter affecting the applicant's mental health that would substantially impair the applicant's capacity to meet the requirements of certified capital counsel in these guidelines and associated performance standards.

4. The state public defender may develop and publish an application form. Where an applicant is unable to supply one or more of the items required above, the application should provide an explanation for this and the state public defender may waive the requirement or require other material to be supplied in lieu of that listed in this Section.

D. Minimum Experience Requirements for Certification

1. The following minimum required experience levels apply for each of the roles for which certification is available:
a. Qualified Trial Lead Counsel shall:
i. have at least five years of criminal trial litigation experience;

ii. have prior experience as lead counsel in no fewer than nine jury trials tried to completion; of these, at least five must have involved felonies or two must have involved the charge of murder; and

iii. have prior experience as lead counsel or associate counsel in at least one case in which the death penalty was sought and was tried through the penalty phase or have prior experience as lead counsel or associate counsel in at least two cases in which the death penalty was sought and where, although resolved prior to trial or at the guilt phase, a thorough investigation was performed for a potential penalty phase.

b. Qualified Trial Associate Counsel shall:
i. have at least three years of criminal trial experience; and

ii. have prior experience as lead counsel in no fewer than three felony jury trials which were tried to completion, including service as lead or associate counsel in at least one homicide trial.

c. Qualified Appellate Lead Counsel shall:
i. have at least five years of criminal appellate litigation experience;

ii. have prior experience within the last three years as lead counsel in the appeal of no fewer than three felony convictions in federal or state court; and

iii. have prior experience within the last three years as lead counsel or associate counsel in the appeal or post-conviction application, in federal or state court, of at least one case where a sentence of death was imposed; and

iv. be familiar with the practice and procedure of the Louisiana Supreme Court in the appeal of capital cases; the practice and procedure of the United States Supreme Court in the application for writs of certiorari in capital cases; and the law controlling the scope of and entitlement to state post conviction and federal habeas corpus review.

d. Qualified Appellate Associate Counsel shall:
i. have demonstrated adequate proficiency in appellate advocacy in the field of felony defense; and either have at least:
(a). three years of criminal trial or appellate litigation experience; or

(b). two years experience as a full time attorney at a capital defense organization in Louisiana.

e. Qualified Post-Conviction Lead Counsel shall:
i. have at least five years of criminal post-conviction litigation experience; and

ii. have demonstrated clear competence and diligence in representation provided as:
(a). counsel of record for defendant in at least five felony post-conviction relief/habeas corpus proceedings (including at least one murder conviction); and

(b). counsel of record for defendant as lead or associate counsel in two death penalty related post-conviction/habeas corpus proceedings in which petition has been filed; and

iii. have been lead counsel in a capital post-conviction proceeding which had an evidentiary hearing or been lead counsel in at least two felony post-conviction evidentiary hearings or trials; and

iv. be familiar with the substantive law and the practice and procedure of the courts of Louisiana in the review of capital post-conviction applications; and

v. be familiar with federal habeas corpus statutory law, practice and procedure, particularly including federal review of state convictions in capital cases.

f. Qualified Post-Conviction Associate Counsel shall:
i. have demonstrated adequate proficiency in post-conviction/habeas advocacy in the field of felony defense and either:
(a). have at least three years of criminal trial, appellate or post-conviction/habeas litigation experience; or

(b). have at least two years experience as a full time attorney at a capital defense organization in Louisiana.

g. Waiver of Experience Qualification Due to Equivalent Alternative Experience
i. Having appropriate regard to the goals of these certification standards, the state public defender may waive formal compliance with the minimum experience requirements contained in this Section where satisfied that the applicant has equivalent alternative experience. However, in all cases lead counsel must have been admitted to the bar for at least five years.

E. Minimum Training Requirements for Certification

1. Prior to certification, the applicant must have satisfactorily completed within the preceding two years a comprehensive training program as described in §923. B This requirement is non-waivable, though counsel not meeting this requirement will be eligible for provisional certification.

F. Consideration of Certification Applications

1. Subject to §915 H, the decision to certify or not certify an applicant under §915 rests in the sole discretion of the state public defender and shall not be subject to political or judicial interference.

2. The state public defender shall promptly review each application, investigate the contents of the submission, make any further enquiries that will assist in deciding whether certification is appropriate, and determine whether the attorney should be certified as Trial Lead Counsel, Trial Associate Counsel, Appellate Lead Counsel, Appellate Associate Counsel, Post-Conviction Lead Counsel, Post-Conviction Associate Counsel or provisionally certified under §915 G

3. The state public defender may request that the applicant submit any further information required to allow a full consideration of the application.

4. The state public defender shall not certify any applicant unless he or she:
a. is licensed or has been granted permission to practice in Louisiana;

b. meets the requirements of §915. D and E; and

c. has submitted an application complying with §915 C, including an undertaking to comply with the requirements of §915 I

5. In determining whether certification is appropriate, the state public defender shall have regard to:
a. the goals of certification;

b. the experience of the applicant;

c. the prior training of the applicant;

d. the proficiency of the applicant in the provision of capital defense services; and

e. the extent to which the applicant has the commitment, skill and capacity to provide zealous advocacy and high quality legal representation in the defense of capital cases.

6. If the applicant is not certified, or not certified for the role requested, the state public defender shall inform him or her of the reasons for the denial of certification in writing. The applicant shall be given the opportunity to supplement the initial application or, where appropriate, to submit a further application upon meeting any deficiency.

G. Provisional Certification

1. An attorney whom the state public defender has found to be not appropriate or eligible for certification in a particular role may be granted provisional certification in that role subject to such conditions as may be set by the state public defender.

2. Conditions attached to provisional certification may include but are not limited to:
a. undertaking and satisfactorily completing further training as determined by the state public defender;

b. working with resource counsel assigned by the state public defender;

c. working only on a specific case or cases;

d. working only with a specific attorney or attorneys as determined by the state public defender;

e. limiting responsibility in work on a case to a particular area or areas as determined by the state public defender;

f. working only as a part of a defense team that includes a member or members with a particular skill, experience or expertise as determined by the state public defender;

g. achieving or maintaining a caseload or workload of a level and type determined by the state public defender.

3. A provisionally certified attorney shall be regarded as being certified for the purposes of §913 and Rule XXXI, La. S. Ct. Rules, but may not be assigned to any case without the prior approval of the state public defender and under circumstances that ensure that the conditions set for provisional certification are met and will continue to be met.

H. Appeal from Denial of Certification

1. After being notified of the final decision of the state public defender, an attorney who has been denied certification can make a written request within 21 calendar days of the notification to appeal the decision to the board or an appeals review committee designated by the board. The decision of the board or appeals review committee shall not be subject to judicial or political interference.

I. Obligations of Certified Counsel

1. It will be a continuing obligation of certified counsel to:
a. comply with these guidelines and associated performance standards;

b. comply with the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct;

c. maintain caseloads and workloads within the limits established by the guidelines established by the Louisiana Public Defender Board, except as specifically authorized by the state public defender;

d. cooperate with case monitoring and case reviews by the case supervisor, district public defender and state public defender;

e. attend and successfully complete continuing capital legal education as described in §923 C;

f. notify the state public defender of any change of address or contact information;

g. immediately notify the state public defender of any change in his or her licensure or permission to practice in the state of Louisiana;

h. immediately notify the state public defender of any change in the information contained in his or her application for certification relating to professional, physical, mental fitness to be certified as capital counsel;

i. promptly respond to any request for information from the state public defender, regional director or district public defender, as appropriate, relevant to the attorney's performance as capitally certified counsel or satisfaction of the obligations of capitally certified counsel; and

j. notify every court in which he or she is counsel in a capital case of any reduction in the level or extent of his certification.

J. Maintaining Certification

1. Certified attorneys must apply to the state public defender for re-certification by January 31 of each calendar year following the year of initial certification under these guidelines.

2. When applying for re-certification, counsel must certify continued compliance with the obligations established under the guidelines, including the requirement for continuing capital legal education. The attorney must advise the state public defender of any previously undisclosed failure to comply with these guidelines.

3. The state public defender shall publish an application form for re-certification. The state public defender shall distribute re-certification application forms to all certified counsel each year.

4. Following submission of an application for certification, an attorney will remain certified until such time as the state public defender determines to re-certify or not re-certify the attorney.

5. The state public defender will promptly consider each application for re-certification and determine whether to re-certify the attorney. Consideration of re-certification and any appeal from the decision will be handled in a manner consistent with §915 F, G and H. An attorney will remain provisionally certified during any appeal from a refusal to re-certify the attorney.

6. Where an attorney fails to timely apply for re-certification, he or she shall be reduced to provisional certification status. The state public defender shall investigate the failure to apply for re-certification and either de-certify the attorney or consider an out of time application for certification.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 15:148.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.