FAQs

Any defense counsel may apply on behalf of their client by submitting a letter to the CASA team closest to where the applicant may reside, regardless of where the case has been filed.  It is suggested that letters cover the following items:

• Client’s personal history
• Role in the offense
• Prior criminal history
• Motivations for his or her involvement in the current offense
• Substance abuse, mental health and/or life-skills issues that may
  be addressed in CASA (including restorative justice and second chance arguments)
• Any and all pro-social activities and mitigating factors that have
  arisen since the offense, and/or that may otherwise demonstrates
  suitability for CASA
• Any other relevant factors that you believe the CASA team should
  consider

To the extent possible, documents may be attached that help support an applicant’s statement of “treatable issue(s).”  These documents should be kept to a reasonable number and length.  Application letters and supporting documentation should be addressed to the assigned trial prosecutor with copies to the assigned Deputy Federal Public Defenders and to the program paralegal as follows:

Los Angeles:       Raul Ayala (raul_ayala@fd.org)
Santa Ana:          Andrea Jacobs (andrea_jacobs@fd.org)
Riverside:            Young Kim (young_kim@fd.org)
All courts:            Joyce Delaney (joyce_delaney@fd.org)