Sara joined IFCD straight out of law school in 2010. Her strong commitment to our clients, extraordinary writing abilities, and organizational acumen allowed her to rise quickly through the ranks. In 2017, she was named First Assistant Federal Defender. In that role, she assists the Defender in developing and implementing policy, developing continuing education for our CJA and developmental panels, hiring, and day to day management of the IFCD office.
Her passion for public service and strong background in writing makes her position as an appellate and habeas advocate a natural fit. For over a decade Sara has spearheaded our office’s efforts in securing sentence reductions pursuant to retroactive changes to crack sentences, retroactive Supreme Court cases, and the First Step Act. Her tireless efforts have saved numerous clients hundreds of years of incarceration – including the release of clients originally sentenced to life.
Sara’s creative, outside-the-box thinking inspired her to file a class action habeas corpus action alleging the Indiana sex offender management program was a violation of the fifth amendment, forcing everyone, including those who have always maintained innocence their cases, to admit guilt as a part of their treatment or face the loss of all credit time towards their sentence. In 2018, the trial court granted relief and the following year the Seventh Circuit affirmed that ruling. As a consequence, the Indiana state prison is no longer permitted to take credit time from prisoners who refuse to admit guilt as part of sex offender treatment.
When she takes a break from her steadfast commitment to the goals of IFCD, you can find Sara spending time with her husband and four daughter, or chasing her Bernedoodle who has inevitably found another sock.