The four-day program is an intensive educational opportunity for those involved in death penalty defense and it includes lectures, plenary sessions, and specialized workshops. Attendance is limited to the criminal defense bar and associated professionals. The annual Bryan R. Shechmeister Death Penalty College is presented by Santa Clara University, CACJ and the California Public Defenders Association, and co-sponsored by the American Bar Association. The Death Penalty College teaches participants the skills, knowledge and insight needed to try a capital case. More importantly, perhaps, the college fosters a feeling of cooperation and community among participants and faculty who are united in the common goal of saving lives.
Instruction includes lectures, demonstrations and small group workshops.
An outstanding faculty from around the country is available to critique and provide guidance on performance, strategy and tactics for the penalty phase of the trial. Attendance is limited to the criminal defense bar , and the number of students enrolled each year is limited. The Trial Advocacy Workshop is a CACJ sponsored event held every few years in August at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove. The three-day program provides a unique opportunity to acquire and improve trial skills. Following informal lectures and demonstrations, participants break into small workshop groups to practice their skills with the guidance of two faculty members per group.