The American Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys was founded in 2003 to honor successful criminal defense trial attorneys throughout the United States, without regard to the nature of their clients, and without regard to their office setting. The American Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys is intended to fill the large gaps left by various other honorary organizations, which either exclude criminal defense attorneys entirely, severely limit the number of criminal defense attorneys admitted to fellowship, or limit fellowship to private attorneys. The current function of this organization is purely honorary. However, as its membership expands, it may undertake both educational and social activities.

The American Academy of Criminal Attorneys has no application fee or membership dues. (There is a reasonable charge for the certificate of fellowship, which will be provided upon request.)

While any criteria for membership in an honorary organization are necessarily arbitrary, and are subject to future change according to the wishes of its membership, all applications for fellowship are accepted or rejected based solely upon satisfaction of the following objective requirements:

 

Fellows of the American Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys:

1) Must provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two judges from his or her state, before whom he or she has completed one or more trials, who are willing to act as references;

2) Must provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two criminal defense attorneys from his or her state, who are willing to act as references;

3) Must not have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, or been under discipline for professional misconduct by any court, administrative agency, bar association disciplinary committee or other professional group within the last ten years;

4) Must have been a criminal defense attorney and not a prosecutor for at least the last ten years;

5) As lead attorney, must have conducted at least fifty felony jury trials to verdict or hung jury, at least twenty-five of which were as lead defense attorney; and

6) As lead defense attorney, must have conducted jury or court trials (each lasting at least three days):

a) In at least five of which the client faced a maximum sentence of life in prison or seventy-five or more years in prison, and which concluded with an acquittal on all felony charges; or

b) In at least five of which the client faced one or more charges of murder, and which concluded with an acquittal or conviction of a lesser offense on all murder charges; or

c) In at least five of which the client faced a possible sentence of death, and which concluded with an acquittal, or with a judgment without a sentence of death.

 

 

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