FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER
Southern District of Texas
Proffers and Debriefs, Law and Practice
CJA Panel Training
Tuesday, March 8, 2022

The Criminal Justice Act (“CJA”) provides for the appointment of counsel in criminal cases to persons who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation. 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(a). In the Southern District of Texas, in cases where the Federal Public Defender has not been appointed to represent a defendant who is entitled to the assistance of appointed counsel, individual defense attorneys are chosen from a federal panel. The Federal Public Defender is charged with assuring that members of the CJA panel are familiar with federal criminal practice.

A defendant’s cooperation with the government is an important means for defendants to avoid overly harsh penalties under federal sentencing law. In this one-hour presentation, AFPD Phil Gallagher discusses the rules under which cooperation goes forward in federal court, as set forth in proffer agreements, plea agreements, statute, and the Sentencing Guidelines. He will also discuss some of the very substantial risks of cooperation and ways to mitigate those risks. Other members of the Federal Public Defender’s Office and the CJA Panel will be asked to share some of their tips for navigating the path through cooperation to the best possible outcome for clients.

AGENDA

The State Bar of Texas MCLE Department has approved this seminar for 1.0 hours of CLE credit (Course No. 174149351). There is no cost for participants or for those attorneys wishing to apply for the CLE credit. If you have any questions, contact Dora Madrigal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This seminar is for attorneys eligible or seeking to become eligible to take CJA appointments.