About the Clinic
Our Mission
The IJC has the dual mission to provide high-quality legal assistance to incarcerated individuals who were wrongfully convicted, as well as to provide CWSL students with a clinical experience that prepares them to be zealous and reflective lawyers.
Our Work
California Western Innocence & Justice Clinic (formerly California Innocence Project) is one of the oldest innocence clinics in the country, founded in 1999. The Clinic has been involved in the release or exoneration of over 40 wrongfully convicted individuals. Since changing its name in Spring of 2024, the Clinic has had students enrolled in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025. Enrolled students in the Summer and Fall semesters completed over 2,300 hours of work investigating and litigating claims of innocence on behalf of wrongfully convicted individuals.
From left to right: Madison Croy, Megan Baca, Beto Duran, and Amy Kimpel
Our adjunct faculty in the Clinic, Professors Megan Baca and Arianna Price (of California Innocence Advocates), secured the release of 3 wrongfully convicted individuals so far this academic year, including Mr. Humberto Duran. You can read more about Mr. Duran's story in this article published by the LA Times, which interviews Professor Baca about her work on his case. Madison Croy, current 2L student in the Clinic, and Professor Amy Kimpel, Executive Director of the Clinic, were able to attend the court appearance in Los Angeles where Mr. Duran's habeas petition was granted and his conviction vacated.
Mr. Duran's case has been used as a case study throughout the yearlong course so students can learn from the rampant errors in his case. Students have also heard from a variety of guest speakers in class this year, including exonerees and experts in DNA analysis and eyewitness identification.
Alumni of the Clinic are also making an impact in the community. Several alumni have gone on to work at both state and federal public defenders offices, District Attorney offices, or have started their own non-profits related to innocence work.