Mental Disabilities at Sentencing

Many with serious mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities find themselves caught in the web of the criminal justice system.  But these issues are complex.  We need help recognizing the issue, finding the right expert to make sense of it, and properly integrating it into a client's mitigation narrative.  Therefore, behold attorney Elizabeth Kelley, who has spent a career cultivating the knowledge necessary to be of service to lawyers and clients.  IN THIS EPISODE:  Practical tips for recognizing when a client may be struggling with mental health issues; The importance of developing a network of trusted experts; Being open to layers of diagnosis AND multiple experts/evaluations – i.e. it's often not just "one thing" interfering with your client's ability to function in the world; The importance of balancing mental health mitigation with "hope" – now that we have identified the problem, here's what we can do about to make sure we are never in this kind of trouble again; Practical advice for relating to and communicating with clients with serious mental health issues; Making the diagnosis matter at sentencing; The importance of team defense; How Sentencing Videos can be especially powerful to show the court the truth of your client's mental health challenges. LINKS:  ELIZABETH KELLEY - HOME (elizabethkelleylaw.com) ELIZABETH KELLEY PUBLICATIONS:  BOOKS - ELIZABETH KELLEY (elizabethkelleylaw.com) Understanding Autism at Sentencing - Doug Passon Law PRESUMED GUILTY: Using Acquitted, Dismissed, and Uncharged Conduct to Increase Sentences. - Doug Passon Law