LUCHA partners with the Choosing Justice Initiative to support statewide research and advocacy addressing youth life sentencing, felony murder, and criminal responsibility in Tennessee.

Law students conduct structured legal research that directly informs parole advocacy, post-conviction litigation, and legislative reform efforts.

Learn more → Click HERE!

Students participating in the Youth Life Sentencing Research Initiative conduct structured, case-level legal research in collaboration with the Choosing Justice Initiative.

Each student researcher is assigned a defined set of cases involving individuals currently serving life sentences in Tennessee. Using appellate decisions, trial records, and public court documents, students analyze and document:

✓ whether a conviction was based on felony murder or premeditated murder

✓ whether liability was direct or based on criminal responsibility for the conduct of    another

✓ the underlying felony supporting any felony murder conviction

✓ the age of the individual at the time of the offense

✓ the county of conviction and procedural posture 

This research directly supports parole advocacy, resentencing preparation, post-conviction litigation, and statewide policy reform efforts.

LUCHA operates as the coordination and accountability hub for this initiative, ensuring that all student work is structured, supervised, and documented. Students receive project-specific instruction before beginning research and are assigned defined case materials to promote consistency and prevent duplication. Research submissions are reviewed for completeness and accuracy prior to delivery to the Choosing Justice Initiative.

LUCHA maintains centralized records of student participation, case assignments, and time devoted to research. These records support verification of pro bono hours where applicable and provide accountability to partner organizations relying on this work.

Student participation in this initiative may also qualify for recognition under the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Law Students for Justice pro bono program. Under that program, law students who perform qualifying pro bono legal services in accordance with Rule 6.1 of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Responsibility may be eligible for formal recognition by the Tennessee Supreme Court. LUCHA tracks student time in standardized increments and maintains contemporaneous participation records to support law school verification and reporting in accordance with applicable program requirements. Eligibility for recognition is determined by the Tennessee Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Courts.