What legal options exist for someone who wants to challenge a conviction after their direct appeal is over?

For people who have been wrongfully convicted, the most important potential door out is post-conviction relief, or PCR. In fact, PCR makes up much of the Montana Innocence Project’s legal work. When someone who believes they are innocent applies to MTIP for legal assistance, pursuing post-conviction relief is often the path we are exploring.

In the first episode of The Doors Out, a new series from Unpacking Injustice, we’re taking a closer look at two important post-conviction pathways: state post-conviction relief and federal habeas corpus.

We’re joined by Colin Stephens, a partner at Stephens Brooke Law and Chair of the Montana Innocence Project’s Board of Directors, and David Ness, an Assistant Federal ...