Rourke Stacy '00

Professor Stacy-Padilla’s youth justice advocacy sprung out of her work with Law Offices of the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Since 2001, Professor Stacy-Padilla has been a Deputy Public Defender and has spent over half of her career addressing youth justice issues as a trial attorney, appellate specialist, trainer, and policy advocate.  She has argued juvenile law matters in the California Court of Appeal, and has argued three juvenile cases in the California Supreme Court.

Legislators, policy advocates, and other juvenile justice stakeholders call upon Professor Stacy-Padilla regularly to assist in their matters. In addition to testifying numerous times at the California State Capitol, she has also been involved in co-drafting legislation regarding juvenile law issues including SB 395 (Juvenile Miranda Bill) and Proposition 57 (Juvenile Justice Portion), among others, and consults on youth policy issues on both a state and national level. Her trial, appellate, and policy experience has enabled her to train judges, prosecutors, forensic mental health professionals, law enforcement, medical professionals, and defense counsel on issues relating to youth and juvenile delinquency court. She was also co-editor of Collateral Consequences of Juvenile Delinquency Court: A Handbook for Juvenile Law Professionals, (2011) published by the Pacific Juvenile Defender.

In addition to her duties as Trainer for the Juvenile Division of the Office of the Los Angeles County Public Defender, Professor Stacy-Padilla has a true passion for educating students about youth in the justice system. She has received awards for her work by the Pacific Juvenile Defender Center, Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Association, and the Criminal Justice Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.