Parole Hearings and Appeals

Providing advice and counsel prior to the hearing. Submitting documentation to the Parole Board on the inmate's behalf. Assisting clients in making the best impression on the Board at the hearing. Keeping the inmate's family informed.

Many convicted inmates serving state prison sentences are able to seek parole, or supervised release, after completing a certain percentage of their sentence. When they become eligible to apply for parole, they must appear before a Parole Board panel. The inmate's performance at this hearing can mean the difference between a "hit" or a longer term of incarceration, and immediate freedom. Most inmates are, however, totally unprepared for this hearing. They simply do not know how to handle themselves before the Board's representatives who will determine whether they will be released immediately, or must remain in prison for an additional period of months, or even years.

Having a better understanding of how to present oneself at this hearing can be particularly important for inmates who have less-than-stellar prison records. Inmates who have incurred disciplinary charges while in prison, or have failed to take classes offered through the Department of Corrections, will have a more difficult time convincing the Board that they are a good bet for immediate release.

Eligible inmates who appear before the New Jersey Parole Board are not entitled to attorney representation at that important hearing. They are, however, entitled to have written submissions placed before the Board in advance of the hearing that discuss why they should be released immediately. They are also entitled to meet with an attorney in advance of their hearing date so that they can have the parole process explained to them. This "coaching" can enable them to appear before the Board panel with a better understanding of what will occur at the hearing.

We advise clients and their families concerning parole. We have considerable experience counseling clients on how to bring their encounter with the Board to a successful conclusion. Inmates seeking parole want the Board to know about such things as family support, living situations and promises of employment. We help clients present each aspect of their individual cases to the Board in the most favorable light possible. We do this by advising inmates prior to their appearance before the Board concerning the hearing, and by preparing written submissions to the Parole Board that demonstrate why the inmate should be released immediately from custody.

We are parole attorneys in New Jersey who advise clients on the parole process and, if parole is granted, on how to satisfy the terms and conditions of supervised release which often include regular drug testing, check-ins with parole officers, attendance at school or work, and other requirements. Violating these conditions may mean a return to prison, or at least to jail pending a hearing. If the board panel denies parole, we can represent the inmate in an appeal of that decision to the full board.

If you need help developing a parole plan or want advice and counsel about the hearing process, contact us online or call 800-361-6554 (toll free).