The Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic (CJJC) provides zealous representation to indigent children and adults who are accused or have been convicted of delinquency or crime. The CJJC is a national leader in expanding the concept of legal representation for children and young adults to include their social, psychological, and educational needs. The CJJC also engages in impact work to effect systemic change. The CJJC is directed by Clinical Professor Erica Zunkel.  

Cook County Criminal Cases in Juvenile and Adult Court

During the 2024-25 academic year, the CJJC represented five individuals in pretrial criminal cases. CJJC students did a wide range of critical work, including filing substantive motions, engaging in plea negotiations, organizing and reviewing discovery, conducting investigative tasks, working with experts, and advocating in court during substantive hearings. Qualified third-year students appeared in court under Professor Zunkel’s supervision pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711.

In a juvenile case, the CJJC collaborated with Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR), a restorative justice non-profit organization based in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, to represent a 17-year-old who was an active participant in PBMR’s programs and who faced several serious felony charges. A team of students—Ajoke Adetula, ’25, Jessica Ritchie, ’25, and Hannah State, ‘26—represented our client from the beginning of the case through the plea and sentencing hearing. The team ultimately secured a very positive outcome for our client that involved no time in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ). 

Another team of students—Emma Donnelly, ’25, Liam Grah, ’25, Daniel Egozi, ’26, and Lauren Hinton, ‘26—represented an individual charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Our client faced a mandatory minimum sentence of between three and fourteen years in prison if convicted. The student team zealously advocated for the best possible outcome for our client. The team’s work included—among other things—researching, drafting and filing a motion for release under Illinois’s Pretrial Fairness Act and a motion to suppress evidence; visiting our client at the Cook County Jail; and preparing a robust mitigation package for the prosecutor’s consideration during plea negotiations. Our client ultimately accepted a favorable plea deal and was released from the Cook County Jail shortly after his sentencing, at which time he was reunited with his three-year-old son, for whom he is the primary caregiver. Emma Donnelly, ’25, and Liam Grah, ’25, represented our client during the plea and sentencing hearing at the 26^th and California criminal courthouse. 

Along with Chicago criminal defense attorney Hallie Bezner, the CJJC and students Ajoke Adetula, ’25, Christiana Burnett, ’25, Charlotte Bairey, ’26, Daniel Egozi, ’26, Bridgette Meyer, ’26, Hannah State, ’26, and David Wang, ’26, represented a teenager who is charged with first-degree murder and related charges. Because of the nature of the charges, the case was automatically transferred to adult court. During the 2024-25 school year, the student team researched, drafted, and filed a motion for pretrial release; conducted investigation; visited our client at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center; reviewed and organized discovery; and prepared for trial. Ajoke Adetula, ’25, and Christiana Burnett, ’25, presented oral argument for our client’s pretrial release at the 26^th and California courthouse. The case is scheduled for trial in November 2025. 

Emma Donnelly, ’25, and Liam Grah, ’25, represented a young mother and aspiring nurse who was charged with possession of marijuana and traffic offenses. Ms. Donnelly and Mr. Grah’s work led to dismissal of all of the charges against our client. After the dismissals, Ms. Donnelly filed a petition to expunge our client’s case, which is currently pending. 

Finally, the CJJC achieved an outstanding result in a longstanding clinic case. Our client was charged with various felony offenses and faced a lengthy mandatory minimum sentence. Prior generations of CJJC students filed a Fourth Amendment motion to suppress evidence. After a hearing—including testimony from Chicago Police Department officers—the judge granted the motion, and the government subsequently dismissed the case. This result would not have been possible without the tireless work of Amara Shaikh, ’24, Maggie Wells, ’24, and Liam Grah, ’25.

Advocacy for fairness in the cook county criminal justice system

Throughout the year, Professor Zunkel advocated for greater fairness in the Cook County criminal justice system. For example, Professor Zunkel submitted a letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune arguing that State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s policy instructing prosecutors to object anytime a judge orders an individual to be released on electronic monitoring when the prosecutor originally requested pretrial detention fails to promote public safety and undermines due process and the presumption of innocence.

Excessive Sentences Project

The CJJC’s Excessive Sentences Project (ESP) is an initiative to free individuals serving unjust and excessive sentences and to combat mass incarceration in Illinois and the federal system. The ESP’s work took numerous forms in 2024-25: (1) filing federal clemency petitions and federal sentence-reduction motions, with a specific focus on clients who are serving lengthy mandatory minimum sentences that would be significantly lower today; (2) filing motions to terminate probation and supervised release; (3) filing expungement petitions; and (4) broader advocacy for the increased use of second look mechanisms such as clemency, compassionate release, parole, and sentence-reduction motions. 

Clemency

The president has sweeping powers to commute federal sentences. As part of the ESP’s mission to free people serving excessive sentences, during the 2023-24 year, the CJJC filed federal clemency petitions for several clients serving life or de facto life sentences. Four CJJC clients—Robin Peoples, Jasper Vargas, Dion Walker, and Sean Moffitt—received sentence commutations from President Joseph R. Biden and are now free. The CJJC’s successful federal clemency work is highlighted in this article. Professor Zunkel profiled Peoples and Walker’s cases, which are discussed in more detail below, in a December 2024 op-ed urging President Biden to use his clemency powers robustly. Professor Zunkel previously profiled Walker’s case in a USA Today op-ed written with Nathaniel Berry, ’24. 

Caroline Kassir, ’26, worked with Professor Zunkel to draft and file Peoples’ successful commutation petition. Peoples was serving a 110-year sentence for a series of bank robberies he committed in the 1990s, in which no one was physically harmed. Peoples was previously released by a federal district court judge but was forced to return to prison when federal prosecutors asked the judge to reconsider his decision, even though Peoples was thriving as a free man. Peoples’s successful clemency petition built on the work of Nathaniel Berry, ’24, and Christiana Burnett, ’25, who along with Professor Zunkel, drafted and filed Peoples’s sentence-reduction motion. When announcing Peoples’s sentence commutation, President Biden stated: “Mr. Peoples would likely face a significantly lower sentence under current law and policy. While in custody, he has demonstrated remarkable rehabilitation and courage. Mr. Peoples’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, government officials, friends, and family members. Mr. Peoples’s supporters describe him as a model inmate, an inspiring mentor, and someone deserving of a second chance.” Peoples, who is now living and working in Indiana, shares: “I am so grateful to Erica and her students. They just have so much compassion, and this wouldn’t have happened without them. They’re heroes.” 

David Wang ’26 worked with Professor Zunkel to draft and file Walker’s successful commutation petition. Walker was serving a “three strikes” mandatory life sentence for selling drugs to a government informant. As a result of bipartisan changes to federal drug laws, if sentenced today, Walker would face just a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. However, Congress did not make those changes retroactive, which left Walker serving an outdated and draconian life sentence with little hope that he would ever set foot outside of prison walls. Despite his life sentence, Walker spent his years in prison laser-focused on growth, positive change, and strengthening relationships with his family. Walker’s journey to receiving clemency is chronicled in this article. Walker’s successful clemency petition built on the work of Nathaniel Berry, ’24, and Julianne Kelleher, ’25, who along with Professor Zunkel, drafted and filed Peoples’s sentence-reduction motion. 

The work of Julianne Kelleher, ’25, Nicholas Smith, ’24, Maggie Wells, ’24, Lauren Hinton, ’26, and Isabelle Wilkinson, ’26, on Vargas’s federal sentence-reduction motion laid the groundwork for Vargas’s successful clemency petition. Vargas was serving a mandatory life sentence for transporting drugs; due to changes in the First Step Act, Vargas’s would face just a 15-year sentence under today’s laws, but Congress did not make those changes retroactive. Vargas spent nearly two decades in prison and, according to a corrections expert who reviewed Vargas’s record, “Of the hundreds of reports which I have completed and the thousands of inmates I have encountered over the years, Mr. Vargas is among a select few who stand out as most rehabilitated, most transformed, and most mature.” Vargas is now reunited with his family in Texas.

Nathaniel Berry, ’24, worked on Moffitt’s sentence-reduction motion during the 2023-24 academic year; Moffitt was represented by University of St. Thomas Professor Mark Osler and his law students for clemency. Like Walker and Vargas, Moffitt was serving a mandatory life sentence that he could not receive today. 

Sentence-Reduction Motions

The federal sentence-reduction statute permits a judge to reduce an individual’s sentence for “extraordinary and compelling reasons.” In 2018, Congress reformed the sentence-reduction statute so that federal prisoners can bring sentence-reduction motions to judges, rather than waiting for the Bureau of Prisons to grant relief. In 2023, Professor Zunkel and her client, Dwayne White, testified before the Sentencing Commission in favor of expanding the grounds for sentence reductions. On November 1, 2023, the Sentencing Commission’s updated policy statement went into effect, which permits sentence reductions for medical reasons, family circumstances, abuse in prison, when an individual’s sentence is “unusually long,” and any other reason that is “similar in gravity” to the enumerated reasons. 

During 2024-25, two CJJC clients’ sentence-reduction motions were granted, saving them decades in prison. Rickey Swift’s 56-year sentence was reduced to time-served based on his serious medical conditions and deteriorating health in prison. Mr. Swift served approximately 25 years of his sentence before his early release. Nathaniel Berry, ’24, Nicholas Smith, ’24, Maggie Wells, ’24, and Christiana Burnett, ’25, researched, drafted, and filed Mr. Swift’s successful sentence-reduction motion. Mr. Swift now resides in Florida with his daughter and her family. Mr. Swift said of the CJJC’s work: “The work of CJJC tremendously changed my life. When I was released, I still had over 30 years left on my sentence. To have that time back . . . I’m not even going to try to put that into words.” 

James King, who was serving a 35-year sentence in connection with the ATF’s stash house reverse sting operation, was granted immediate release in September 2025 after serving 17.5 years in prison. Professor Zunkel and CJJC student Juliana Steward, ’24, partnered with Federal Criminal Justice Clinic Director Alison Siegler and two FCJC students on Mr. King’s successful sentence-reduction motion.   

The CJJC also litigated numerous sentence-reduction motions during the 2024-25 academic year. Building on 12 prior successful sentence-reduction motions, including nine early releases for individuals convicted in connection with the government’s stash house reverse sting operations, Professor Zunkel and Christiana Burnett, ’25, filed another sentence-reduction motion for a stash house client who is serving a 25-year mandatory minimum sentence and is the only individual still imprisoned in connection with the Illinois stash house operations. The motion is currently pending. 

In addition, Professor Zunkel, Charlotte Bairey, ’26, Caroline Kassir, ’26, Bridgette Meyer, ’26, David Wang, ’26, and Isabelle Wilkinson, ‘26, filed several sentence-reduction motions under the Sentencing Commission’s updated policy statement for clients who are serving life or very lengthy sentences. Students spent countless hours scouring our clients’ records, working with our clients and their families and friends to create release plans, conducting legal research, and drafting the sentence-reduction motions. These motions are currently pending.

Litigation in the US Supreme Court

Part of the CJJC’s mission is to impact the law more broadly. Professor Zunkel, Caroline Kassir, ’26, and a team from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP—led by Law School alumnus Jaden Lessnick, ’23—drafted and filed an amicus brief on behalf of clinical law professors urging the United States Supreme Court to grant certiorari to resolve a circuit split over whether legal changes—in conjunction with other factors—can constitute “extraordinary and compelling reasons” for a sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). The brief highlighted how the circuit split has created “severe sentence disparities between similarly situated people based on geography alone,” resulting in “defendants in restrictive circuits [that] are left serving sentences decades longer than similarly situated defendants in other circuits, based on nothing more than the accident of geography.” The Supreme Court granted certiorari, and the case will be argued in the Autumn Term. The CJJC will be filing a merits amicus brief on behalf of clinical law professors in August 2025.

Termination of Supervision and Probation

Recent research from The Pew Charitable Trusts found that approximately 4.5 million people in the United States are on some form of community supervision through supervised release, probation, or parole. The CJJC endeavors to assist individuals in seeking early termination of supervision so that they can move forward productively with their lives and regain their full freedom. 

The CJJC represented four individuals in motions for early termination, all of which were granted. 

Emma Donnelly, ’25, and Jessica Ritchie, ’25, drafted and filed a motion for early termination of supervision on behalf of a CJJC client who, during the 2023-24 academic year, entered into a diversionary disposition under Illinois’s expanded First Time Weapons Offense Program (FTWOP). Our client had no criminal history and a personal background of profound trauma. Over the government’s objection, the judge granted the motion, which meant that our client’s supervision was terminated early, and the underlying case dismissed. Ms. Ritchie successfully argued the motion in court. 

Hannah State, ’26, drafted and filed a motion for early termination of supervised release on behalf of a CJJC client who was granted a sentence reduction to time-served and had successfully served nearly half of his term of supervised release. Ms. State gathered numerous letters of support from our client’s family, friends, and employer, which were highlighted in the motion. The motion was granted over the government’s objection. 

Lauren Hinton, ’26, drafted and filed a motion for early termination of supervised release on behalf of a CJJC client who was granted a sentence reduction to time-served and had successfully served two years of his supervised release term. Ms. Hinton gathered numerous letters of support from our client’s family, friends, and employer, which were highlighted in the motion. The motion was granted.

Finally, Professor Zunkel, building on the work of Amara Shaikh, ’24, and Liam Grah, ’25, filed a motion for early termination of supervised release for a longtime client, which the government did not oppose and was granted.

Expungements

The CJJC represented several individuals in successfully expunging their Illinois criminal convictions. Expungements help individuals make a fresh start and provide them with the opportunity to not be defined by past mistakes. Christiana Burnett, ’25, and Emma Donnelly, ’25, represented an individual who sought to expunge several serious prior criminal convictions. The expungement petition was contested by the State. Ms. Burnett argued the motion in court, and the judge granted our client’s expungement petition over the State’s objection. In another case, the CJJC’s work led to the successful expungement of serious felony convictions in five separate cases for a client who has changed his life, including becoming an advocate for criminal justice reform.

Advocacy For Expanded Second Looks

In addition to representing clients, Professor Zunkel advocated more broadly for expanding second looks and second chances in the state and federal systems. 

Professor Zunkel authored an op-ed in The Hill arguing for President Biden to use his clemency powers robustly at the end of his term. President Biden did just that, commuting the sentences of approximately 4000 individuals between December 2024 and the end of his term on January 20, 202—including the four CJJC clients profiled above. 

Professor Zunkel submitted public comment to the US Sentencing Commission during its amendment cycle about the impacts of the circuit split over the “unusually long sentences” provision of the Commission’s sentence-reduction policy statement, and how it was impacting individuals across the country. Zunkel urged the Commission to study and gather data about federal sentence-reduction grants and denials, as well as the Department of Justice’s response to the updated sentence-reduction policy statement.

Along with Professor Doug Berman of The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law and Jeremy Haile, Director of Policy for the People, Professor Zunkel submitted public comment to the Sentencing Commission on the need to expand “second looks” in the federal system. The letter concludes: “In part because this Commission has recently given focused consideration to one aspect of sentence reconsideration through recent amendments to § 1B1.13, we believe this Commission is now uniquely positioned and able to develop and advance a robust ‘second look’ sentencing agenda in the months and years ahead.”

Professor Zunkel also served as resource counsel for FAMM and NACDL’s Compassionate Release Clearinghouse, which connects federal prisoners seeking sentence reductions with pro bono counsel. Through the Clearinghouse, Professor Zunkel trained pro bono attorneys around the country about federal sentence-reduction motions and advised them on their motions.

Other CJJC Work

Professor Zunkel spoke at the AALS Conference on Clinical Legal Education with co-presenters Professors Carlie Ware (Stanford Law School), Elana Fogel (Duke Law School), and Belle Yan (University of San Francisco Law School) about leveraging the resources of universities to further high-quality client representation in the clinical setting. 

CJJC Students

Thirteen students participated in the CJJC in the 2024-25 academic year. Of the five third-year students in the CJJC, all stood up in court and argued in court behalf of clients under Professor Zunkel’s supervision. Christiana Burnett ‘25 won the Mandel Award for outstanding contributions to the clinical program. Over the course of her time in the CJJC, Ms. Burnett worked on several pretrial criminal cases and Excessive Sentences Project cases, and she argued a contested motion for expungement at the 26^th and California criminal courthouse.