Sandra Levick
Chief of the Special Litigation Division
The Special Litigation Division (SLD) handles a wide variety of
litigation that vindicates the constitutional rights of PDS clients,
ensuring equal justice to all in the DC courts, and reforming unfair
systemic criminal justice practices. An example of such litigation is
the Jerry M. lawsuit brought on behalf of the children committed to the care
of the District of Columbia following delinquency proceedings. SLD attorneys also support PDS trial lawyers in the litigation of systemic criminal justice issues,
including eyewitness identification issues, forensic issues, and issues pertaining to
the suppression of exculpatory information by the government. SLD attorneys
have appeared before all the major courts in the District of Columbia — the Superior
Court and the Court of Appeals in the local system, and the District Court for the
District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and the US Supreme
Court in the federal system.