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develop programs and solutions for fair and effective administration of justice. Representing a
diverse group of stakeholders in the criminal justice system, the Committee brings together LSBA
members that include prosecutors, public and private defense attorneys, and judges.

For several years, the Committee has hosted a Summit to engage criminal justice leaders from
across the state in a series of highly interactive working group sessions that focus on ways to
address systemic issues including funding, incarceration rates, mental health, and sentencing
reform. Recommendations have been presented to the committee and bar leadership.

In 2012, the Committee worked with the Louisiana State Law Institute’s Expungement Reform
Task Force to bring stakeholders together and develop recommendations for a revised
expungement statute that would improve the process and make clearing criminal records available
for more people. In 2016, the committee created resources to assist private attorneys appointed in
criminal cases and increase transparency of the funding crisis in the criminal justice system. In
2017, the committee focused on the work of the Justice Reinvestment Task Force to analyze the
drivers of Louisiana’s incarceration rates, provide recommendations to reduce incarceration, and
use the cost savings to reinvest in areas that provide for continued reduction in incarceration and
recidivism rates. The committee hosted a CLE mini-summit event with members of the Task
Force, including chair Sec. LeBlanc, to discuss their recommendations and legislative bills. In
2019, the Committee hosted a summit to address the prevalence of mental illness experienced by
people who come into contact with the criminal justice system. More recently, the Committee
hosted a virtual Summit in 2022 on the same issue of mental health and criminal justice. The event
attracted a record attendance of judges, attorneys, and mental health professionals – most of whom
requested annual cross-trainings on the topic, which the committee plans to continue.

Legal Services for Persons with Disabilities (LSPD) Committee, Co-Chairs Elena Perez and
Debra Weinberg.
The LSPD Committee was established to provide members of the bench, bar, and the general
public with a greater understanding of the legal needs and rights of persons with disabilities, to
better meet the legal needs of persons with disabilities, and to increase the knowledge that persons
with disabilities have regarding their rights and resources. The Committee has several ongoing
education initiatives designed to educate members of the public, judges, and attorneys, including
trainings on social security appeals, special needs trusts, the recent legislative changes involving
Interdictions proceedings, and the newly recognized legal status alternative, Supportive Decision
Making. The LSPD Committee also collaborated with the Children’s Law and Language Access
Committees to provide interview skills trainings for the students of LSU and Loyola Law Schools.
Next, the Committee plans to work to encourage Judicial District Courts to expand accessibility
features and information on their court websites.

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