PJDC | Pacific Juvenile Defender Center

The Pacific Juvenile Defender Center provides support to juvenile trial lawyers, appellate counsel, law school clinical programs, and nonprofit law centers to ensure quality representation for children throughout California.

PJDC has streaming training videos! We are building our video library over the next several months, but currently we have our eight-hour AB703 training video and handouts available now for purchase. View the training videos »

Lawyers & Youth Justice Advocates

This section provides PJDC members with access to motions, briefs, and other resources to assist them in their advocacy.

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Youth, Families & Community

We believe children in the justice system must be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. If your child is going through the court process, we provide free resources to help you understand the challenges your child faces. If your child was in the juvenile delinquency system, we have information regarding sealing and other collateral consequences of system involvement.

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News & Announcements

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Desautels and Song Publish Op-Ed on the Closure of Juvenile Halls

PJDC members Meredith Desautels of the Youth Law Center and Ji Seon Song of Stanford Law School recently authored an op-ed in the Chronicle of Social Change calling for counties to creatively reimagine the juvenile justice system, so that they replace juvenile halls with a transformative vision of youth justice centered in the community. The… Continue reading →

San Francisco Votes to Close Its Juvenile Hall by 2021

By a 10 to 1 vote, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has voted to close its juvenile hall by the end of 2021. The ordinance requires the creation of a task force to develop home-like and rehabilitative centers in San Francisco to house youth offenders, including a secure site for those who pose a… Continue reading →

SF Board of Supervisors Recognizes the Visionary Leadership of PJDC President Patti Lee

On March 19, 2019, Pacific Juvenile Defender Center (PJDC) President Patti Lee was recognized as a champion of peace and nonviolence and visionary community leader by the City and County of San Francisco during the Board of Supervisor’s celebration of Women’s History Month. Lee was recommended for this honor by District 11 Supervisor Ahsha… Continue reading →

Amicus

The PJDC Amicus Committee, comprised of California trial counsel, appellate counsel, law faculty, and juvenile advocates, collaborates on issues of critical importance to California juvenile defenders.
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Youth Justice Reform

PJDC members develop and comment on proposed changes in juvenile justice policy, participate in informational legislative hearings, serve on multi-agency task forces and more.
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Training & Technical Assistance

PJDC fills a critical need in offering the chronically under-resourced California juvenile defense bar specialized trainings and technical support services.
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