California Appellate Defense Counsel

Improving the professional lives of appointed counsel and promoting the fair administration of justice.

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What are the benefits of being a CADC member?

With the resources offered on this website, CADC members can discuss legal issues with each other, access a state of the art Brief Bank containing 4000 briefs by 225 authors, and obtain news and information of interest to appellate attorneys.

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Members-only Brief Bank

As a CADC member you have the opportunity to draw from a criminal and dependency briefbank containing the work of some of the best practitioners in the state. The briefbank currently contains over 4000 briefs, motions and sample documents by 225 authors.

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Forums

Whatever questions or situations you may encounter in your practice, as a CADC member you can draw on the input and experience of your colleagues in the Forums on issues of criminal law, dependency law, technical and computer matters, appellate practice, and more.

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CADC Officers, Directors, Committees & Special Roles

View of a list of CADC contacts, including officers, directors, committee members, and other special roles.

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Local Chapters

CADC has a number of local chapters who meet both in person and online, providing more frequent opportunities for meetings with other appellate practitioners, either informally or for MCLE credit.

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Webinars

CADC holds webinars providing MCLE credit which are free to attend and are only available to members.

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Access to Conference Materials

View materials from all past CADC annual conferences.

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Monthly E-Flyer

With latest appellate news, announcements from the courts and projects, upcoming events/MCLE, CADC membership news, and more.

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CalAppNews

CADC's Quarterly Newsletter.

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Summary of New Laws

View a summary of new laws from Garrick Byers, as well as an archive from past years.

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Group Malpractice Insurance

As a member, you can apply for coverage under a special group malpractice insurance policy which is geared for attorneys who accept court appointed criminal and dependency appeals.

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Lexis Discount

CADC and Lexis have negotiated a 40 percent discount on three different plans for CADC members.

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Resources for Appellate Practitioners

Courts and cases, e-service information, and other useful resources.

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Latest News

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Registration is now open to the 31st Annual Conference!

Registration is now open for CADC’s 31st Annual Conference & Seminar held in person May 16 & 17, 2025, at…

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2024 Conference Materials Available!!

The conference materials for the 2024 CADC Conference – as well as those from prior conferences – are now available…

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New Laws for 2025!

Garrick Byers has compiled the most important new statutes, rules, and forms for California Criminal Law, including Jury Instructions, Juvenile…

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“CADC has long been an important liaison between its state-wide panel members, the projects and the court appointed counsel system. The appellate projects value CADC’s work in building a panel community to the mutual benefit of panel attorneys, the projects, and indigent parties.”

- Appellate Project Directors

“In a practice area where so many are solo practitioners, CADC gives us incredible support and a strong sense of community.”

- Pauline Villanueva, ADI Staff Attorney

“I cannot put a value on the input I receive from colleagues on the CADC Forums and the briefbank. CADC makes me a much better appellate attorney.”

- Laura Gordon

“CADC is the lifeboat in the appellate seas!”

- Nancy Brandt

“Practicing as an appointed appellate lawyer isn't easy - but with CADC you never have to go it alone.”

- Matthew Siroka

“It's like belonging to a huge appellate law firm with inside access to the greatest assemblage of appellate minds in the state - if not the country.”

- Matthew Siroka

“I have been practicing criminal appellate law since before Gutenberg invented movable type, and a member of CADC since shortly after its inception. CADC gives tremendous bang for the buck. Its seminars are excellent and informative. Its listserve provides quick insight from experienced and generous appellate practitioners. Its briefbank is an outstanding source of always helpful and sometimes brilliant briefing. Handling a criminal appeal without being a member of CADC is like skydiving without a parachute - you might survive the landing without it, but the landing is much more likely to be successful, and certainly less bumpy, with it.”

- George S.

“CADC is a community comprised of dedicated, intelligent, caring individuals who willingly share their knowledge, expertise and advice with other appellate attorneys. I don't think I could competently practice indigent appellate defense without this
community.”

- Ronda N.

“CADC has given me access to the expert opinions of fellow practitioners in the forum, excellent briefing upon which to springboard, and is the organization within which I’ve made lifelong friends. I’ve benefitted from agreements brokered with Lexis and I credit CADC with obtaining raises for panel attorneys. I love CADC.”

- Laurie W.

“I cannot imagine trying to practice criminal appellate law without CADC.  It would be like going into battle unarmed and naked.”

- Laura Gordon

“It's like belonging to a huge appellate law firm with inside access to the greatest assemblage of appellate minds in the state - if not the country.”

- Matthew Siroka

“CADC has been an incredible resource and is an essential tool for an effective criminal defense appellate practice. The forums are a consistent source of updates on the law, fresh angles on legal issues, and answers to my many questions. And I can't count the number of times I've relied on the brief bank to assist in the preparation of my briefs. Plus, given that so much of the work is solo work, it's been great to be part of a community with other practitioners. I am eternally grateful for all that CADC provides.”

- Brad Kaiserman

“In CADC, I have found mentors, friends, and a community of generous, supportive colleagues, happy to share their work and expertise to benefit all our clients. I have been a member for 25 years and I can't imagine practicing law without CADC.”

- Randi Covin

“In all the 20 years I was doing ADI appointments in New Hampshire I felt incredibly alone until I joined CADC. Now I’m in the most incredible group of people, an actual huge law firm of brilliance available to bounce ideas off of, and to seek and if possible give help to.”

- Charlie K.

“I can’t imagine what the last 25 years of solo practice would have looked like without this organization. These days, CADC members are among my closest friends, but from the very beginning they were valued colleagues whose support and wise counsel were essential to my work.”

- Nancy King

“Joining CADC was the best thing I’ve done in my 22 years of appellate practice. It is the smartest and most generous collection of lawyers I’ve ever encountered, and the assistance of the membership has been more precise than Witkin, more broadly focused than Lexis or Westlaw, and as intuitive as only real lawyers can be. CADC is an indispensable part of my practice.”

- Bart Scott

"CADC levels the playing field against an institutional opponent, and raises the bar for indigent defense. It's great to be a part of that."

- Meredith Fahn

Over 400 appellate attorneys have joined California Appellate Defense Counsel.

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