Wiley Secures Victory for Client in Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act Petition

April 18, 2023

Washington, DC – Wiley Rein LLP, a preeminent DC law firm, secured an important victory on behalf of a pro bono client, who petitioned the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for a reduced sentence under the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA).

In an April 14, 2023 decision, Judge Robert A. Salerno granted the defendant’s IRAA motion and a reduction in his original life sentence after serving 28 years for a crime he committed when he was 20 years old. The motion filed by Wiley attorneys was pursuant to an extension by the DC City Council of the IRAA, which allows persons who were convicted as adults for offences they committed before the age of 25, and who have served at least 15 years of their sentence, to petition for a reduction in their sentence based upon good behavior, a demonstrated commitment to rehabilitation, and other relevant considerations. The extension, known as the “Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Act” was adopted by the DC Council in 2020.

The Wiley team included Charles Lemley, Paul Coyle, Andrea Martinez, and legal assistant Sophia Winston-Mendoza.

Wiley prides itself on a strong tradition of service to the local and global community and encourages its attorneys and legal assistants to participate in pro bono activities. The firm’s pro bono program is led by full-time Pro Bono Partner Ted Howard.