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ARTICLE · 30 JULY 2026

Exoneration And Innocence ‒ Professional Liability In Criminal Defense

Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP
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On May 19, 2026, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an article titled Advocate to Adversary, detailing the results of an investigation by the Inquirer and ProPublica, which found that 250 convictions in violent felony cases had been reversed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas between 2018 and 2026.

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
William F. McDevitt
William F. McDevitt
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On May 19, 2026, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an article titled Advocate to Adversary, detailing the results of an investigation by the Inquirer and ProPublica, which found that 250 convictions in violent felony cases had been reversed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas between 2018 and 2026. The article focused on habeus corpus petitions filed under Pennsylvania’s Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), a statute that allows persons convicted of crimes to raise new evidence concerning either the crime itself or the litigation process (including negligence by counsel at trial). The news organizations focused upon the role of court-appointed attorneys who review pro se PCRA petitions and who, in many instances, submit “no merit” letters opining there are no justicable legal issues presented. The investigation concluded that “no merit” letters were submitted in 50 of 250 reversals.

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