APDA Conference 2026: Full Schedule

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

8:15am MST

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

Join me for the driest course of the summer! We'll be breaking down the legal frameworks that govern perhaps the two most confusing criminal law concepts – duplicity and multiplicity. If you enjoy listening to lengthy presentations on pure law, or simply can't remember the difference between duplicity and multiplicity to save your life, this course is for you!

Speakers

Scott Boncoskey

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5
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8:15am MST

When Justice Isn't Served: Rule 8 and Service Violations

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

TBA

When clients are arraigned years after charges were filed or show up with a pile of outstanding warrants from local courts, the reason, more often than we expect, is faulty service. The Arizona Supreme Court requires the State to exercise due diligence in locating the defendant, and most service attempts in Justice and Municipal Courts fail to meet that standard. Courts routinely exclude this time from Rule 8, but these delays are Rule 8 violations when properly argued. This course will teach defenders how to spot service failures, how to investigate and document them, and how to dismiss cases where the delay has exceeded Rule 8 time.

Speakers

Eddie Zakreski

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Attorney, Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender- Justice Courts (12/2024-3/2026)- EDC (3/2026- )

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Special Action Crash Course

Wednesday June 17, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

TBA

A general overview of special actions. The course will go over the recently amended rules of procedure for special actions and provide helpful tips. In particular, we will cover when to file, what to file, how to file, and ways to improve the chances the court will take jurisdiction.

Speakers

Grahame McNevin

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Appellate attorney at the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office.

Zachary Stern

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Zach is a defense lawyer at the Maricopa County Public Defender's where he has been employed for 4 years. He co-wrote with Grahame an article on Rule 7 changes after 2018. He has (tried to) litigated Rule 7 issues in the court of appeals.

Wednesday June 17, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

8:15am MST

ETHICS: After Closing Argument / Post-Verdict / Post-Mistrial Practice

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

TBA

Mistrial declared, or your case came back on appeal, or bombshell information surfaces post-closing argument. Now what? A practical approach to post-closing argument litigation, pre-retrial strategizing, and the benefits that flow from active trial work; includes excerpts from Courtroom Audio / Video and ETHICS.

Speakers

Samuel Doak

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Advocate

Attorney at The Maricopa Co. of the Legal Advocate for about 6 years. Prior to that, Sam was an attorney at the Maricopa Co. Public Defender for 5 years. He also has prior experience in Tucson and San Diego.

Kush Govani

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Maria McKee

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Litigating Delay: Pre-Indictment, Post-Indictment, and Sentencing

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

TBA

This course will cover the basics of what you need to know about pre and post-indictment delay. There will also be a discussion of potential updates in the area of sentencing delay given the right to a speedy trial no longer applies post-conviction.

Speakers

Jesse Turner

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

I have 20 years of experience at the Maricopa County Public defender's Office, the last 9 in appeals.

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Prepare to Win: Pre-Trial Preparation

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

TBA

This class is designed for the purposeful, experienced attorney who approaches litigation with clarity, strategy, and relentless focus on results. It delivers a practical framework for mastering pre-trial preparation, from aggressive discovery tactics to thorough investigation, effective client and witness interviews, and precise witness preparation. Participants will refine the skills needed to build stronger cases, anticipate opposition, and enter trial fully prepared to win.

Speakers

Carissa Jakobe

Attorney, Law Office of Carissa A. Jakobe

Carissa has practiced criminal defense for 19 years, starting at Maricopa County Public Defender and Legal Defender and opening a private practice in 2012. Her focus is on major felony cases at the trial level, as well as PCR's and appeals.

Christopher Doran

Owner and Lead Attorney, Doran Justice

Chris Doran has been a practicing attorney in the Phoenix area for 9 years, doing primarily criminal defense and post-conviction relief. Chris started handling Set Aside and Restoration of Rights applications early on in his career, and he hasbeen handling Sealing and Marijuana Expungement... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Easy Editing Techniques for Better Legal Writing

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

You don't need a writing lecture - you need tools you can use right now. This session teaches five fast, practical editing hacks that immediately make your writing clearer and more effective. You'll learn how to use simple Search & Replace patterns to fix passive voice, cut clutter, strengthen verbs, and improve clarity. These techniques are fast, easy to learn, and designed for lawyers who want to write better but don't have time to work on it.

Speakers

Dawnese Hustad

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Dawnese Hustad is a Capital Trial Attorney for the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. Before moving to trial work, Dawnese spent 8 years doing felony and capital appeals. Dawnese has represented indigent felony defendants in Maricopa County for all but one of her 19 years... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

Bounty Law

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST

TBA

The ins and outs of extradition law along with information about the Interstate Agreement on Detainers.

Speakers

Catherine Parker-Williams

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
TBA

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

Using Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) in Criminal Prosecutions

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST

TBA

This conversation will explore A.R.S. 12-751, Arizona's law prohibiting Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation ("Anti-SLAPP"), expanded in 2022 to apply in criminal prosecutions as well as civil matters. The statute permits a Motion to Dismiss in response to legal actions which are "substantially motivated by a desire to deter, retaliate against or prevent the lawful exercise of a constitutional right." We will discuss the statute's requirements, review some examples of its use over the past couple of years, and explore other possible applications in future cases. We hope to facilitate some greater awareness of A.R.S. 12-751's parameters and applications so the IR community can explore more creative ways to make use of its provisions.

Speakers

Danny Evans

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Emily A. Parker

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Emily graduated from ASU Law School in 2022 and spent the next year clerking at the Court of Appeals (Division I) for Judge Furuya. She began her practicing career as an attorney in EDC with the Office of the Public Defender before transitioning to trial group with the Office of the... Read More →