"I am an attorney and have served time in prison. I witnessed inmates spending every moment inside the prison library accessing computers and combing through court decisions. These inmates hold themselves out as jailhouse lawyers. The law library is their sanctuary where they search for ways to get released but also prey on other inmates who look to them for their freedom."
"Most of these jailhouse lawyers have no formal legal training, frequently are serving sentences for violent crimes, and while their so-called legal advice is often flawed, their pitch, like a snake-oil salesman's, is greeted with trust and hope To be sure, many of these jailhouse lawyers develop a keen understanding of the Federal Bureau of Prisons or the State prison systems and may provide some assistance to inmates in parole or other administrative hearings. But they usually lack an understanding of court procedures."
"I was often asked to review legal submissions prepared by these jailhouse lawyers. They were almost always much too long, incorporated dense or flowery language lifted from court decisions, and plagiarized from documents prepared by attorneys. On occasion, a jailhouse lawyer may be able to identify a legal issue that the trial attorney missed and prepare a filing that might assist their client-inmate in obtaining relief. But that is very rare."
Sam Bankman-Fried is reported to be serving as a jailhouse lawyer at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and has advised other inmates. Inmates frequently occupy prison law libraries, accessing computers and court decisions while presenting themselves as jailhouse lawyers who promise legal help. Most lack formal legal training, are often serving violent sentences, and provide flawed advice that preys on hopeful inmates. Some develop knowledge of prison administrative systems and can assist in parole or administrative hearings, but they usually lack court-procedure expertise. Legal filings from jailhouse lawyers are often overly long, flowery, plagiarized, and rarely lead to relief, with success below 1%.
Read at www.amny.com
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