Reporting Highlights
Unexpected Obstacle: Philadelphia lawyers appointed to help people challenge their convictions can instead urge judges to rule against them, and often do so without speaking to their clients.
Many Later Won New Trials: A review of 50 convictions and sentences that were thrown out after lawyers opposed them found that more than half won on issues their lawyers had rejected or overlooked.
Few Consequences: Lawyers who’ve been repeatedly criticized by state appeals courts and the state disciplinary board for their work have continued to be appointed new cases.
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
