We sat down with Julie to discuss her experiences as a public defender with Youth, Rights & Justice over her nearly 20-year career here. Key takeaways include the relationships forged and rewarding work that keep her engaged and inspired at … Read More
The Multnomah Bar Association’s publication, Multnomah Lawyer, recently highlighted the work of YRJ Staff Attorney Michael Cebert and his brother Mark. The article discusses how Michael and his brother were exposed to politics and activism early and encouraged by … Read More
We sat down with YRJ Staff Attorney Jennifer Stoller to discuss her work and what being at YRJ over the last nine years means to her. What made you want to be a lawyer? When I was in college, my … Read More
Case managers have become an integral part of YRJ’s holistic approach to juvenile and family defense. The Parent Child Representation Program, a pilot program started in Multnomah County in 2020, provided funding to hire case managers. This multidisciplinary approach has … Read More
Youth, Rights & Justice is proud to announce the creation of our Expunction Clinic. This online clinic will focus on increasing access to expungement for individuals with juvenile records. This is a free service currently for individuals with records … Read More
In late 2016, the staff at Youth, Rights & Justice noticed that a number of our clients in foster care were being housed in hotel rooms for long periods of time — weeks or even months — rather than … Read More
The following is an excerpt from a longer memorandum YRJ has written to address the issue of a child’s right to counsel in dependency cases. “High quality legal representation is essential to a well-functioning dependency system.” Oregon Task Force … Read More
Immigrant children have recently been in the news again as the United States Supreme Court issued a decision addressing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program initiated by President Obama. The Department of Human Services v. Regents of the … Read More
The First Special Session of 2020 was remarkable. In light of a global pandemic, the members of the legislature held hearings remotely and practiced social distancing when voting. Spurred to action by nightly protests condemning racialized policing practices, the legislature … Read More
Dear Friends, June is National Reunification Month. This month we celebrate families and the importance of family reunification for children and youth involved in the child welfare system. Children belong with their families. We join with organizations across … Read More