A law FIrm of and for the People

Mission

Our mission is to work with our communities to seek justice and promote racial equity for those to whom it has been historically denied.

We do this through criminal defense, restorative practices, legal education, and advocacy.

ROOTED IN ABUNDANCE

Dreaming Restorative Futures - 2023 Annual Report

legalrightscenter

A law firm of and for the people. We specialize in criminal defense, restorative justice, legal education, and youth advocacy.

“But that’s not how our story ends!” 🏀 F

“But that’s not how our story ends!” 🏀

Far too often, stories told about young people are sensationalized and fail to center youth voice. This was again made clear last January following a fight at the Camden vs. North girls basketball game. After the game, multiple local news outlets picked up the story and circulated footage of the fight, all without talking to any of the youth involved.

A story that wasn’t told was what happened after the game. This is where our team comes in, with specific focus on relationship repair through the use of restorative practices.

Have you ever wondered what restorative practices are, or what it can look like when they’re used to repair harm? Our video has got you covered!

Most importantly, you’ll hear directly from Brooklyn, Kamaria, and AnnaBelle, teammates from North and Camden. They share all about their perspective on the fight, what it meant to participate in the restorative process, and what they’re looking ahead to for this season.

Together, we rewrote the narrative with restorative practices. ✨

Now, exactly one year later, Camden and North will tip off again, with a special spotlight on this restorative work. A slam dunk if you ask us!

As part of our recent Advocacy Alert, we invited c

As part of our recent Advocacy Alert, we invited community members to attend the 12/3 Hennepin County Commissioners Special Meeting.

Here's a summary of what was said and what decisions were made:
- As of 12/3, Sheriff Witt reported being in compliance with the DOC but noted that this could vary as people move in and out of the jail
- Funding was ultimately approved, but less than originally proposed. The total approved is $5.4 million, funding agreements with seven other county jails through May 2025: Wright, Scott, Chisago, Anoka, Goodhue, Ramsey, and Sherburne.
- Many Commissioners were reluctant to support the proposal and talked about the importance of developing strategies, programming, and long-term plans to address jail conditions and population issues.
- Chair Fernando had especially strong reservations: "I am, with immense reservation, supporting the action in order to be compliant. This is obviously not a sustainable approach."

What’s next?
When it comes to reducing the size of the jail population, today and in the long-term, we maintain our position that an easy, cost effective, and humane solution is to release more people from the jail. Studies show that even with no supports of any kind, the vast majority of criminal defendants are successful during the pretrial period. That is, they return to court to address their cases and they do not commit criminal offenses while on pretrial release.

We will continue following this issue, and we will offer relevant updates and advocacy opportunities on this page. This includes pushing all involved stakeholders (Courts, Sheriff, County Attorney, and Commissioners) to prioritize reduction of the jail population.

Stay plugged in! Follow our page and share with a friend who you think should know about this issue.

We're all about shopping small and shopping local.

We're all about shopping small and shopping local... and that includes our new online shop! 🛍️

STAND shirts, LRC tote bags, and custom candles in collaboration with @lovekobico?! We've got you covered at www.legalrightscenter.org/shop with options for local pick up and flat rate shipping ✨

Plus, shop with our partners @blackbirdrevolt and @blackgarnetbooks for abolitionist art, apparel, books, and more - all perfect complements to LRC gear!

HENNEPIN COUNTY: Take action to meaningfully addre

HENNEPIN COUNTY: Take action to meaningfully address the Hennepin County jail crisis

BACKGROUND ⚖️
On October 21, 2024, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) placed the Hennepin County Jail, also known as the Adult Detention Center, on conditional license status. The Conditional License Order explains that the jail conditions “have the potential to pose an imminent risk of life-threatening harm or serious physical injury to individuals confined or incarcerated” in the jail.

This risk is anything but potential. Over the past two years, seven people have died at the jail or after being transferred from the jail to a medical facility for treatment. Those people, and their loved ones, experienced first-hand what it looks like when the risk becomes reality. And these deaths were not simply unpreventable tragedies. Instead, each of them occurred immediately after one or more violations of the rules governing well-being checks.

In response to this egregious abdication of responsibility, Sheriff Witt has asked the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners for an additional $8 million to help reduce the jail population. The funds would be used to pay other counties to house those who are currently at the Hennepin County jail. This is an unjust and unsustainable solution.

Rather than spending $8 million to transfer legally innocent people away from their homes, Hennepin County should be taking steps to reduce the jail population. Studies show that even with no supports of any kind, the vast majority of criminal defendants return to court to address their cases and do not commit criminal offenses while on pretrial release. This indicates that most people currently incarcerated at Hennepin County jail could be safely released.

TAKE ACTION 📣
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners scheduled a special meeting to vote on the Sheriff’s Office funding proposal. The meeting is open to the public, and community members should weigh in on the Sheriff's request. Let's imagine together what $8 million could do.

Hennepin County Board of Commissioners - Special Meeting
📅 Tuesday, December 3rd
🕜 1:30pm
📍 Hennepin County Government Center - County Board Chambers

We want you to take a STAND for your rights! Watc

We want you to take a STAND for your rights!

Watch this short video for a refresher on STAND, our acronym that you can use to remember action steps to protect your rights in interactions with law enforcement.

S - Stay aware
T - Tell them you’re using your right to an attorney and your right to remain silent
A - Ask if you are free to leave
N - Never consent to a search
D - Do whatever it takes to get home safe

Special shout out to our partners @lnbrkmedia for helping us create this video 🎥

Follow this page for more Know Your Rights content, dropping soon! 🔥

WEAVING NEW WORLDS 🧵🪡 At the Legal Rights C

We're looking for youth leaders to join the 2025 L

We're looking for youth leaders to join the 2025 LRC Youth Fellowship cohort! ✨

This is a paid opportunity for youth (age 14-24) interested in legal education, restorative justice, youth advocacy, and storytelling. The 2025 fellowship will run from January 11, 2025 to June 30, 2025.

More details on the application process:
📑To apply, complete the short Google Form linked in our Instagram bio
📅 Applications are due on Thursday November 14th, by the end of the day. After the deadline passes, the form will close.
🗣️ There are a limited number of spots in the cohort. Interviews will be conducted between Monday, November 18th and Friday, November 22nd. Anyone who submits an application can expect to hear whether or not they have been invited for an interview. You will be notified as early as Friday, November 15th.
❓Questions? Please DM us or send an email to brara@legalrightscenter.org.

Share widely and apply!

MINNEAPOLIS - COMMUNITY ALERT: Within the last mon

MINNEAPOLIS - COMMUNITY ALERT: Within the last month, downtown police presence and strict enforcement of youth curfew has increased.

While interventions are necessary to reduce youth violence in our communities, we also know that curfew rules can be inequitably enforced, further contributing to the over-policing and criminalization of young people of color in our communities. Data also shows that youth curfews are ineffective at reducing crime.

So, what's next? Swipe through this post to learn more about your rights related to curfew as well as the flaws of curfew, and be sure to join at our upcoming town hall on November 13th. Together, we can build solutions that more meaningfully support young people.

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