Advancing Justice: Addison Sandoval Urges Passage of Oregon’s SB 474
Why funding law school public defense clinics is the backbone of Oregon’s constitutional promise
Before entering the University of Oregon Criminal Defense Clinic, advocate and artist Addison Sandoval understood public defense in principle. Inside the clinic—working alongside clients facing immediate, life-shaping consequences—he saw the stakes up close. The difference between a fair outcome and a lasting setback often came down to this: whether someone showed up prepared, with empathy, and with time. His advocacy in support of SB 474 makes a clear case—clinic funding is not a luxury; it is the infrastructure that turns the constitutional promise of counsel into a delivered reality.
What the Clinic Revealed
Practice over theory: Sandoval managed misdemeanor cases from intake to resolution under attorney supervision—appearing in court, negotiating with prosecutors, filing motions, and preparing for trial. This is not simulated advocacy; it moves cases and affects lives.
Trust as a legal skill: Many clients have been let down by institutions. Building trust—showing up consistently, listening carefully, translating the process without condescension—is not ancillary to defense work; it is central to it.
Mentorship as method: Under supervising attorney Reid Kajikawa, Sandoval observed the standard of compassionate, exacting defense practice: know the law, do the work, and never lose sight of the person in front of you.
“These are not just cases; they are lives, often hanging in the balance.”
The Constitutional Stakes
Oregon’s shortage of qualified public defenders is not merely an operational challenge—it is a constitutional one. When there are not enough trained advocates, the right to counsel risks becoming theoretical. Clinics close that gap in two ways:
Immediate capacity: Supervised student attorneys provide real representation for clients now, ensuring cases move and rights are protected.
Day-one readiness: Graduates enter practice with courtroom experience, client management skills, and the professional judgment that only live cases can teach.
Why SB 474 Matters
SB 474 sustains the programs that convert law students into practice-ready defenders and deliver representation to people who need it most. In Sandoval’s argument, clinic funding:
Strengthens outcomes: Clients benefit from prepared advocacy and informed negotiation, not just appearances.
Builds the pipeline: Oregon needs more qualified defenders; clinics train them with the urgency and standards the moment requires.
Embeds values: Early practice under seasoned mentors leads to a defense culture grounded in ethics, empathy, and accountability.
“Public defense demands empathy, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to fairness.”
The Human Side of a Budget Vote
It is easy to treat clinic support as a programmatic line item. Sandoval’s experience highlights something else: a promise kept. Funding clinics means a client meets a prepared advocate in a courthouse hallway and hears, “We have options.” It means a student attorney—properly supervised—can say “Ready for trial,” and mean it. It means the right to counsel is more than a phrase; it is a presence.
The measure of a just system is felt in hallways, not headlines. Sandoval’s complete testimony to the Oregon Legislature on SB 474 details how clinic funding turns that measure into practice. To learn more, read Sandoval’s original testimony submitted to the Oregon Legislature in support of SB 474.