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| Organization: | Office of the Federal Public Defender |
| Location: | Office of the Federal Public Defender, 1450 Liberty Center, 1001 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. | Google Map |
| Geographic Location: | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Host Name: | Amy Hurd, AM'03 (Social Work) |
| Host Title: | Attorney in the Capital Habeas Unit |
| About the Organiztion: | The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Pennsylvania was created in 1974 by the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (18 U.S.C., sec. 3006A). In accordance with that law, a federal district court (the trial courts of the federal judiciary system) may establish a defender organization if at least two hundred persons in the district annually require the appointment of counsel. The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Pennsylvania represents financially qualified defendants before the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Representation includes counsel and investigative, expert, and other services necessary for an adequate defense. The Office consists of the Federal Public Defender, with Assistant Federal Public Defenders and support staff (investigators, research and writing specialists, and administrative support) as hired by the Defender under attorney limits from the Court of Appeals and budgetary limits from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. They handle caseloads composed of federal misdemeanors, felonies, parole and probation violations, habeas corpus, grand jury representation, direct appeals to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and petitions for a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court. Federal Public Defenders are appointed to a four-year term by the presiding United States Court of Appeals. The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is the presiding Court of Appeals for federal courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Virgin Islands. The Federal Public Defender appoints as many attorneys as the US Court of Appeals approves (which is based primarily on the number of prosecutions in a given District) and other personnel as approved by the Administrative Office of the US Courts. For more information about the Office of Federal Public Defender or the Western District of Pennsylvania, please visit: www.fpdpaw.org. |
| About the Host: | Amy Hurd holds a B.A. in Social Work from Christopher Newport University and recieved an AM'03 in Social Work from the University of Chicago. She has expertise in investigation of death penalty cases. Ms. Hurd currently works as an Investigator/Mitigation Specialist in the Capital Habeas Unit within the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her main duties include interviewing source witnesses; drafting social histories; serving as an expert social worker in mitigation investigation when necessary; conducting record reviews; drafting substantive investigative memos for team members; serving as liaison between defense team and family members; creating computer-generated genograms. Prior to joining the Pittsburgh office, Ms. Hurd worked on behalf of death-sentenced individuals in Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. A Licensed Social Worker in Pennsylvania, Ms. Hurd has six years of experience working with vulnerable populations. |
| Special Requirements: | The extern will be emotionally mature, sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of our indigent clients, and expected to treat all information obtained by way of the externship as highly confidential. |
To apply for externships, please follow the instructions:
If you have questions regarding Interview/TRAK, please contact Caryn Carter at 773/702-9456 or via email at cdcarter@uchicago.edu