Legal Action With Lasting Impact We fight for case law that justice demands.
NACDL’s amicus program draws on the deep expertise of the criminal defense bar and the firepower of Big Law partners to deliver compelling, consequential arguments in state and federal courts across the country. 35 amicus briefs filed in 2025. Notable victories include:
In a unanimous 9-0 ruling on January 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court curbed the
government’s ability to trap individuals in a permanent cycle of debt. In Ellingburg v. United States (No. 24-482), the Court ruled that federal restitution is “plainly criminal punishment.” NACDL’s amicus brief argued that criminal restitution under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act is penal for purposes of the Ex Post Facto Clause of the Constitution. NACDL filed an amicus brief in Ellingburg v. United States in June 2025
8 BUILDING A COMMUNITY FOR JUSTICE
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