The Center for Death Penalty Litigation is a North Carolina nonprofit law firm representing people facing the death penalty and other extreme sentences. We expose and confront racism within the criminal punishment system. Through strategic litigation, education, training, and policy reform, we strive to create a more humane and equitable society. Sign up for our newsletters, connect with us on Linked In, and follow us on Instagram (@centerfordeathpenaltylit) to stay up to date on what’s happening!
What’s New
-
Honoring Adam Stein, who taught us to be unflinching in the face of injustice
Please join us on Wednesday, September 23, to celebrate the career of Adam Stein, who is the recipient of CDPL’s 2026 Arc of Justice Award. This award recognizes Adam’s pioneering work in capital defense, which fundamentally shaped the work we do today, as well as his powerful advocacy for civil rights across the South. Long before many others, Adam saw that the death penalty is fundamentally intertwined with segregation and racist violence.
-
Join us September 23 for CDPL’s Osborn Event
CDPL is thrilled to announce that this year’s J. Kirk Osborn Event will honor Adam Stein, a luminary of capital defense and civil rights litigation, and celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the creation of the Fair Trial Initiative, an innovative organization dedicated to training capital defenders and mitigation investigators whose legacy continues at CDPL. The Osborn event will be held Wednesday, September 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Rickhouse in Durham.
-
CDPL is Hiring: Policy Director
CDPL seeks a Policy Director to lead and expand CDPL’s policy, advocacy, and public education efforts related to capital punishment, racial justice, and criminal legal system reform in North Carolina.
Support our Work
Help us provide the best possible representation to people facing execution and educate the public about the injustice and racist roots of the death penalty. Donate here. Or sign up here to get updates about our work.
Join the Movement
CDPL is a member of the NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. If you want to be a part of the grassroots movement to end the NC death penalty, please visit their website to learn and get involved.
Intern or Volunteer
Do you want to learn about capital defense while working alongside a dedicated staff? We will open applications for Fall 2026 externships early 2026!