Information for Clients

The Innocence Project Northwest (IPNW) Clinic selects cases based on a number of factors. To submit a case for consideration, an inmate must first fill out a screening questionnaire and mail it to the IPNW Clinic. Download a printable version of the IPNW Screening Questionnaire.

In order to qualify for representation, an inmate must:

• Be wrongly convicted of crimes in Washington (for help in other states, please see a list of other innocence projects);
• Be unable to afford counsel;
• No longer have the right to appointed counsel;
• Have completed the direct appeals process;
• Have at least three years of prison time remaining to be served;
• Have a claim of actual innocence that can be proven through DNA testing or other newly discovered evidence; and
• Have no involvement in the crime whatsoever (The IPNW Clinic will not take cases in which the inmate claims an affirmative defense such as self-defense, insanity or accidental death, or cases in which the inmate seeks a reduction of his or her sentence).

Only fully completed questionnaires will be evaluated. Send the completed questionnaire to:

Innocence Project Northwest Clinic
University of Washington School of Law
William H. Gates Hall
P.O. Box   85110
Seattle, WA 98145-1110

Please do not phone or e-mail the IPNW Clinic about the status of your case. Thank you for your patience while we process your questionnaire.