Resources You Can Use Right Now!

While the series Navigating the Justice System is in progress, I’d love to provide resources you can utilize right now in your quest to seek justice. If you are on fire about having your rights upheld, you’ve come to the right place. This journey is long and tedious; however, one of the most fulfilling accomplishments is to restore the balance of justice in federal court. With that being said, hang on to that fire and passion as it will propel you to victory! The very first tool is an absolute God send, I would NOT want to imagine committing to the completion of a lawsuit without it, so without further ado…

1. The Jailhouse Lawyer’s Handbook

It has been an irreplaceable tool that I went to almost daily for guidance. It breaks down your rights and the procedure of federal civil lawsuits against those who violate them. It explains different types of relief available, who to sue, legal research and much more. If this is your first time navigating the justice system, you may need to take extra time to get through the material. This handbook is naturally very saturated with legal jargon. I encourage you to grab paper and pen, write down any and everything that will help your case. I also recommend you write down anything you don’t understand, so you can further search that topic. This system is extremely complex and completely foreign to most Americans, so take your time and please be easy on yourself! You can view this resource online at: https://www.jailhouselaw.org/. You can also download a copy in PDF format from: https://ccrjustice.org/home/get-involved/tools-resources/publications/jailhouse-lawyers-handbook.

2. The NAACP

If you are of color this organization is devoted to helping you. The NAACP stands for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and their mission is to ensure the political and educational equality of minority group citizens of States and eliminate race prejudice. There are several things to note about going towards this organization. First, you want to contact them as soon as the situation happens, during the grievance process or at the beginning of filing any formal complaints or claims. Due to high demand, you want to get in as soon as possible, preferably before you file anything. Also, if the chapter in your area is inactive or doesn't have a very receptive or known presence in your community you may need to reach out to another city's chapter. If the chapter is not strong, it may be intimidated or ill-equipped to handle a federal lawsuit against the police.

3. Low-Income Legal Aid

Low-income legal aid agencies are available in most cities all over the country. For example a well-known agency in my area is called Pisgah Legal. If you meet certain income requirements you may be eligible to receive free help on a wide range of legal matters. They may choose to represent you, refer you or give you legal advice. It is worth noting, that while sometimes these legal clinics are overloaded and may take a minute to reach back to you, it never hurts to try any and everywhere. As with the NAACP, you want to get in these establishments early. If you are placed on a waitlist, by the time the real action starts, you are already in queue.

4. Prisoner Legal Services

Here in North Carolina, we have an amazing resource called North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services (https://www.ncpls.org/). It is a non-profit law firm dedicated to correcting unlawful criminal sentences and advocate for safe, humane, and constitutional prison conditions. They have post conviction attorneys as well as civil rights attorneys available. If your case happens to be one that NCPLS cannot litigate, they will still provide advice and self-help packets on those issues. I have found that most states have something similar, so I highly recommend a quick search “Prisoner Legal Services" in your area. A state-by-state guide will be in the resource section of my upcoming book Navigating Excessive Force. Another option to search is “Prisoner Rights Initiative” and “Civil Rights Initiative” in your area, this should lead you to additional support.

I hope these tools make a difference in your situation. If you find options 2 – 4 are not giving you the results you need, do not waste time with them! Time is of the essence in these proceedings, the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Handbook IS ENOUGH to get you through the judicial proceedings!

I vividly remember and greatly appreciated any and all advice, tidbits and leads that helped guide me to the finish line! As with then, I would love your feedback, if you know of any other valuable resources or if any of these have helped you, feel free to reach out: contact@ddpublishingllc.com. I will do my best to respond within two business days! I hope this piece helps those of you who find yourselves in this situation.

If you know of anyone who is/has experienced police brutality, excessive force or any violation of rights, send this link to them or their family.

D.P.