Washington and Lee University School of Law
VC3.org was launched in the fall of 2005. Drawing upon the Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse's many years of research and experience in Virginia capital defense, VC3.org makes available the following resources to assist you in defending your capital client prior to and at trial: issue-specific litigation guides, a motions and memoranda Bank, jury instructions and verdict forms, capital case notes, and data and statistics relating to capital litigation in Virginia.
The Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse is a trial-level legal aid clinic providing free services to defense attorneys who represent capital murder defendants in cases throughout Virginia. In addition, the clinic operates a comprehensive online practitioner's resource guide to capital cases, VC3.org. The Clearinghouse is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that does not embrace a political stance either for or against the death penalty. Our governing precept is simply that every capital defendant should actually receive the defense that the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees.
The Clearinghouse is comprised of ten third-year Washington & Lee law students. Admission to VC3 is competitive. Once accepted, each student remains in the Clinic for the entire third year of law school. Whenever an attorney contacts VC3 to request assistance in a capital case, the case is assigned to a team of two students who will maintain primary responsibility for handling matters relating to the case. Although VC3 focuses on pre-trial and trial stages of the capital case, attorneys may contact the clinic concerning issues or problems at any stage of the death penalty legal process.
VC3 was founded in 1989 by longtime criminal law scholar Professor William S. Geimer. Professor Roger D. Groot directed the clinic from 1999 through 2004. Currently the clinic is led by Professor David I. Bruck, a leading national expert on capital defense, who since 1976 has successfully defended scores of capital defendants on trial, on appeal, and before the United States Supreme Court.
Attorneys wishing to use VC3's services may contact the clinic directly at vc3@wlu.edu or 540-458-8557.
