TIME
Registration: 11:45 a.m.
Seminar: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
COST
$50 - ECBA Members (Judges & Attorneys) and their Paraprofessional Staff
$65 - Non-members
NOTE: All lunches are $10 in addition to the rates.
This course has been approved for 1 Hour Substantive CLE Credit
SPEAKERS
Doug Passon is a criminal defense lawyer with three decades of litigation experience. Atty. Passon is also an award-winning documentarian and has been recognized as the leading expert in the field of sentencing mitigation films. It was through this work he joined forces with the Nation’s leading autism defense attorney, Mark Mahoney, and began direct representation of clients on the Autism spectrum across the country. Atty. Passon’s Set for Sentencing podcast addresses issues and strategies relating to the criminal sentencing process, including Autism defense.
Dr. Michelle Garcia is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is the founder of Michelle Garcia, Psy.D. & Associates, PLLC, where she provides person-centered assessment, counseling and behavioral services for individuals with ASD and developmental disabilities across home, school, and community settings. As an Associate Sex Offender Treatment Provider (under supervision), she has specialized expertise in cases involving autism, risk assessment, competency and treatment planning. Dr. Garcia is a recognized expert in disability evaluations and has provided expert testimony in family law, due process and criminal cases. She co-created a nationally recognized healthy relationships and sexual health curriculum for individuals with disabilities that is used in criminal justice diversion programs, has influenced Virginia’s statewide educational guidance, and is the subject of ongoing university research demonstrating promising outcomes. Her work has also been supported by a Texas Bar Foundation grant to expand access for adults with autism.
SEMINAR
The CDC estimates that 1 in 31 people have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a lifelong developmental disability that affects a person’s brain functioning and ability to successfully navigate the social world. ASD cuts across socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and intellectual levels. It is often called the “hidden disability,” and people on the highest end of the spectrum may be most at risk within the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, those in the justice system often don’t know what ASD is, or why it matters in every case. Therefore, we must better understand the facts about ASD, and work together to find just and creative solutions to achieve fair and positive outcomes that serve the dual purpose of keeping society safe and rehabilitating the person on the spectrum. This program provides an overview of ASD, examines why it is almost certainly relevant to culpability (putting the offense in proper context), explores its treatability (with autism-specific tools and rules, recidivism is negligible), and considers the unique vulnerabilities of people with ASD once they enter a prison setting.
Reservations due to the ECBA office by August 12, 2026.
Cancellation Policy for ECBA Events/Seminars: Cancellations received on or before the last reservation deadline will be fully refunded. Cancellations received after the deadline or non-attendance will not be refunded. If you register for an event without payment in advance and don’t attend, it will be necessary for the ECBA to send you an invoice for the event. |
