New SADO director named

At a recent meeting of the Appellate Defender Commission, Dawn Van Hoek was named director of the State Appellate Defender Office. Van Hoek succeeds James Neuhard, who retired on January 3, 2011. The commission's chair, Donald Martin, praised Van Hoek as "a highly respected leader who has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to innovate and manage. Her passion for the office and indigent defense system in Michigan is unsurpassed, and the Commission is confident that she is the right person for the job." The State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) is Michigan's only state-funded public defense agency, handling approximately 25 percent of the state's indigent appellate assigned caseload. SADO takes criminal appeals from all Michigan counties, including many of the most complex and challenging cases. In 2009, SADO received the Clara Foltz Award for outstanding achievement in providing services to indigent defendants, awarded by the American Bar and National Legal Aid and Defender Associations. "SADO's innovative work on sentencing, and outcomes for clients, have been the subject of frequent testimony about cost savings for the criminal justice system," a spokesperson said. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Van Hoek received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1976. She has practiced law at the State Appellate Defender Office since that time, serving in numerous capacities including, most recently, chief deputy director. Her accomplishments at SADO include creation of online resources for the criminal defense bar, management of statewide training projects and publications, and management of SADO's Lansing office and government relations. Published: Thu, Mar 31, 2011

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