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1L, top 10%, TTT. Thinking about taking a position with the federal district court in my area that involves review of prisoner Civil Rights Act claims and motions for vacated sentences. Would mainly involve legal research and drafting memos. Interviewer said I'd get to sit in on some trials going on as well. Just not sure if the fact that it involves prisoner claims would make it look bad? Going to be an RA as well. I know everyone says 1L internships aren't of much weight so its not that I'm too concerned just don't want to find this would be a waste. Thanks.

Whywoulditlookbaddowhatyouwantaslongasitslawrelatedjesuschrist

Anonymous User wrote:1L, top 10%, TTT. Thinking about taking a position with the federal district court in my area that involves review of prisoner Civil Rights Act claims and motions for vacated sentences. Would mainly involve legal research and drafting memos. Interviewer said I'd get to sit in on some trials going on as well. Just not sure if the fact that it involves prisoner claims would make it look bad? Going to be an RA as well. I know everyone says 1L internships aren't of much weight so its not that I'm too concerned just don't want to find this would be a waste. Thanks.

Explain why this would "look bad".

I just wasn't sure about the fact that it's "prisoner law." Figured it could have negative connotations attached to it in terms of being over simplified or something of that nature. This was admittedly based on my lack of knowledge in the area/inability to find much information about it through searches, but it would seem this was unwarranted.

It's going to be fairly routine in that prisoner cases usually involve a limited set of issues. However, as a 1L, you won't know any of them and won't master them in 3 months, so it's not like you'll get bored/won't learn anything. By prisoner Civil Rights Act claims, do you mean 1983 claims? That's an interesting area of law if you're at all interested in civil rights - it comes up a lot when people sue, e.g., cops for excessive use of force, and is useful if you want to be someone who represents people suing local entities (cops, sheriff's department, a city, a county), or if you want to represent those entities. And learning about post-trial remedies is kind of useful. Most prisoner cases are pro se, though, so you deal with a lot of crappy arguments.

tl;dr - doesn't matter as long as it's legal.

Anonymous User wrote:I just wasn't sure about the fact that it's "prisoner law." Figured it could have negative connotations attached to it in terms of being over simplified or something of that nature. This was admittedly based on my lack of knowledge in the area/inability to find much information about it through searches, but it would seem this was unwarranted.

I don't think it has those connotations. Prisoner complaints typically make up a significant portion of the docket in federal court. The 8th Amendment encompasses lots of theories that are sort of related to other areas- like medical mistreatment (although a different legal standard from malpractice).

You should absolutely do this. Some of the pro se appeals are hilarious. Others are really sad. But it will be an interesting job and give you something to talk about during interviews.

Plus, you'll get exposure to just how bad some lawyers are for some habeas appeals. It's kind of shocking both how shitty they are and how much they are allowed to get away with.

Anonymous User wrote:do you mean 1983 claims?

Yea they make up the majority of the claims apparently.

kalvano wrote:Some of the pro se appeals are hilarious.

Was thinking this as well haha

Thanks a lot for the responses definitely opened my eyes to some things I hadn't even considered and removed any worries I had. Really appreciate the insight.

It sounds like you are working in the Pro Se dept. as a clerk. That is a fine job. It will be fine from an OCI interviewer prespective.

/thread

prisoner rights law is objectively bleak and boring

Nothing is objectively boring.