The conference will begin the morning of Thursday, April 3rd for freed/exonerated people and their family members and post-conviction innocence litigators, and it will begin the morning of Friday, April 4th for all other attendees. The conference will end with an optional closing celebration on the evening of Saturday, April 5th.

The 2025 conference will feature sessions within the following focus areas:

• Case Intake, Evaluation, & Investigation
• Forensic Science & Social Science
• Post-Conviction Litigation (for New & Experienced Attorneys)
• Post-Release/Reentry Support, Social Work, Trauma-Informed Practice
• Community Outreach, Engagement, & Organizing
• Organizational Development (Fundraising/Development, Leadership, Management)
• Race & Wrongful Conviction
• Emerging Areas (Mass Exoneration, Alternative Pathways to Release, Manifest Injustice, etc.)

To access and review materials provided by conference breakout session organizers, please click here.

The purpose of these Community Guidelines is to ensure that all members of our community feel safe, welcomed, and supported while attending the Innocence Network Conference. By registering for the conference, all attendees agree to follow these guidelines.

• Treat all conference attendees and venue staff with respect and consideration, valuing diverse views and opinions.
• Operate with curiosity and generosity, avoiding assumptions and generalizations. Listen for understanding, not just to respond.
• Work together to foster a safe space free of harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Honor your needs and know your limits. Care for yourself and the community by taking a break, getting some air, and seeking support when needed. Consider connecting with a Conference Ambassador.
• Respect privacy and confidentiality. Don’t speak on behalf of others without their permission and don’t share something communicated in a private or safe space.

A limited number of members of the media may be granted permission to attend the conference. Please contact Network Support Unit Director Meredith Kennedy with any media requests and to discuss the conference media policy.

While proof of vaccination is not required to attend the 2025 Innocence Network Conference, we appreciate your commitment to protecting the health and safety of our community. All attendees are encouraged to test for COVID-19 in advance of traveling to the conference, and are respectfully asked not to attend if they test positive or are feeling ill. Both rapid tests and masks will be available to attendees onsite. Walk-in registration will not be permitted under any circumstances this year. All conference attendees must register in advance online no later than Sunday, March 30th.

Individuals who experience any of the following symptoms within 5 days of the start of the conference should not attend: 

• Fever, cough, or shortness of breath 
• Exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19 
• A COVID-19 diagnosis that has not yet been cleared as non-contagious by public health authorities 

In any of these cases, a full refund will be issued up to the day the conference begins (April 3, 2025). If you must cancel your conference registration for a reason other than illness, a full refund will be given as long as the request is made within 10 days before the start of the conference (by March 24, 2025).

Please be aware that the hotel cancellation policy is different. Please see the Hotel & Travel page for more details.

Exhibitors
If you are interested in purchasing or reserving an exhibitor table at the conference, please contact Becca Freeman.

Sponsors
If you are interested in sponsoring or underwriting aspects of the conference, please contact Meredith Kennedy.

Q: I cannot attend in person. Are there virtual or hybrid options to attend this conference?
A: This conference is a fully in-person event. There are no virtual or hybrid attendance options.

Q: I am undecided if I will attend this event. Is last minute and/or onsite registration permitted?
A: Anyone who plans to attend the conference must complete an online registration by March 30, 2025. Walk-in and/or onsite registration will not be permitted under any circumstances.
 
Q: I do not have sufficient funding to cover travel, accommodations, and/or registration. Are there scholarships or financial assistance available to attend?
A: We provide free conference registration for all freed/exonerated people and significantly discounted registration for one family member or support person to accompany each freed/exonerated person. Unfortunately, we do not have funding to provide any additional scholarships or financial assistance at this time. 

Q: I am a litigator planning to attend this conference. Can I get CLE credit(s) for attending legal sessions?
A: Unfortunately the Innocence Network Conference is not nationally registered to provide CLE credits directly to attendees. However, many people are able to self-report and earn CLE credits that way. This process varies from state to state, but the Innocence Network is happy to provide a letter confirming attendance and/or complete any required paperwork.

Q: I'm an international attendee and I need a letter of invitation in order to get a visa to attend. How do I go about this?
A: Because visa processes tend to differ country by country, we typically ask international attendees to draft the invitation letter themselves in order to ensure that it includes all of the required information and then we are happy to add our letterhead and sign it.