The Recourse Initiative
FAQs
How do I become a TRI member?
TRI conducts 2 cycles of recruitment each academic year – once at the start of each semester. All interested students should sign up for the TRI workshop where we will introduce TRI and the law of reopening. Thereafter, students will be given a few weeks to conduct research and work on a recruitment problem concerning an inmate who claims he was wrongfully convicted. Student will have to draft a letter to retrieve relevant information from the inmate and will undergo a simulated interview with the convicted inmate. After the interview, the students will be asked to make a recommendation on chance of overturning the conviction. Students will be assessed on the quality of their research done, the interview with the applicant, and quality of their recommendation.
What can I expect as a TRI member?
TRI members will be able to work on 1-2 cases each semester. TRI members will receive letters from the inmate and court documents relating to the trial and appeal of the inmate in order to aid in their evaluation of the case. If more information is required to evaluate the case, TRI members are to write letters to the inmate seeking clarification on facts of the case. For meritorious cases, the team will be permitted to conduct a face-to-face interview with the applicant in prison to clarify and confirm facts. After the interview, if the applicant’s case is still found to be meritorious, the case will be recommended to The Law Society of Singapore for a lawyer to take up on a pro bono basis. Furthermore, workshops relating to criminal law will be conducted to enhance the understanding of criminal law and procedure among TRI members.