Page 17 - 2020 Annual Awards Celebration

CONDITIONAL MEDICAL RELEASE PROJECT
MJF also recognizes the work done in 2020 by the Mitchell Hamline Reentry Clinic, in association with Mitchell Hamline Professors Jon Geffen and Bradford Colbert, University of Minnesota Professor Perry Moriearty, University of St. Thomas Professor Mark Osler, and students from all three law schools.
Beginning in April 2020, the three local law schools urgently began to assist incarcerated individuals apply for conditional medical release (“CMR”). This process was created to seek the release of incarcerated individuals who have illness or conditions that make them susceptible to COVID-19. The five largest hot spots for COVID-19 in the country
are in jails and prisons. The Minnesota Department of Corrections (“DOC”) agreed to allow incarcerated individuals to call a newly formed law school “hotline” to complete the application forms. Unfortunately, due to the volume of calls, the Mitchell Hamline Reentry Clinic needed numerous volunteers to answer calls. Moreover, because the callers
are incarcerated, they were unable to call them back. It became clear they needed help. Professors from the local law schools sent emails to students seeking volunteers for this important project. The response from law students was overwhelming. The response from the callers was exclusively positive and routinely praised the work of the students. In all, students drafted nearly 300 applications for CMR and took hundreds more calls from family and friends. As of July 16, 2020, DOC has approved the release of 164 individuals and the number is still increasing. None of this was possible without the selfless volunteers who stepped up in a time of crisis and helped. The students’ actions epitomize the empathy and dedication we want from future lawyers and society.
MJF recognizes the work of these law student volunteers:
Annika Beck
Claire Beyer
Anne Bolgert Kjestina E. Bruer Emily Curran Abrianna Dolfi Thomas D. Godfrey Kevin Gray
Braxton Haake Abigail Hanson
Holly Harrington Chad Huot
Maya Johnson Sara Jane Koste Nari Kretschmer Sam Logterman Kristina Ludewig Andrea J. Meitler Jessica M. Nyland Elizabeth Pancratz
Catherine Rios Keating
John Schwieters Laura Sweeney Matthew Thom Brandon Vaca Madison Vandenberg Angela Whicher Lindsay Zerfas