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Sixth District Appellate Program
The SDAP Way
A Passion for Justice
SDAP’s attitude toward the representation of indigents is that expressed in Von Moltke v. Gillies (1948) 332 U.S. 708:
“Undivided allegiance and faithful, devoted service to a client are prized traditions of the American lawyer. It is this kind of service for which the Sixth Amendment makes provision. And nowhere is this service deemed more honorable than in case of appointment to represent an accused too poor to hire a lawyer, even though the accused may be a member of an unpopular or hated group, or may be charged with an offense which is peculiarly abhorrent.” (Id., at pp. 725-726, fn. omitted.) Read more.
News From The Director
Help Wanted
Mandatory Form for Augment Motions
McKenna Stepping Down; Couenhoven Retiring
SDAP Seminar May 17
FDAP Seminar April 26
Proofs of Service With No-Issue Briefs
File Omission Letter in 6DCA
Mandatory Forms for EOTs
Help Wanted
The Sixth District Appellate Program is looking to hire two new staff attorneys with start dates in July. SDAP contracts with the state to provide administrative services to the Sixth District Court of Appeal and to assist court-appointed counsel in felony, delinquency, dependency, and mental health appeals. Duties of a staff attorney include directly representing […]
Mandatory Form for Augment Motions
There is now an updated form proposed order for augment motions. All motions to augment the record filed in the Sixth District Court of Appeal must be accompanied by the court’s fillable standard order form that can be found here. For civil cases, use this form. The court has given us the following guidance regarding three aspects […]
McKenna Stepping Down; Couenhoven Retiring
Patrick McKenna is stepping down as SDAP’s Executive Director. As he explained: “Earlier this year, I was approached by a small civil litigation firm with an offer to join them. After lots of thought, I ultimately decided to accept the offer, concluding that this was the best decision for me and my family. While I […]
SDAP Seminar May 17
The Annual SDAP Seminar is scheduled for Friday, May 17 and will be conducted on Zoom. All panel members can attend free of charge. In addition to presentations by SDAP staff, we are excited to have two guest speakers: Justice Cynthia Lie from the Sixth District Court of Appeal, and Jennifer Granick from the ACLU. […]
FDAP Seminar April 26
The FDAP Annual In-Person Seminar will be on April 26, 2024 at Preservation Park in Oakland. There will be criminal and dependency breakout sessions, a keynote speaker, lunch, and the opportunity to connect with colleagues. Approximately 5 hours of MCLE credit, including appellate and criminal specialization, will be provided. Until April 1, registration will be […]