Frequently Asked Questions

No. 444 Justice is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. We provide case research, investigation support, document organization, and advocacy resources. Nothing we provide creates an attorney-client relationship or constitutes legal advice. If you need legal representation, we can point you toward organizations that may be able to help.

444 Justice was founded by Duane Williams, a Detroit man who spent more than 11 years in prison following a wrongful conviction for murder and arson. After his exoneration in 2024, Duane founded 444 Justice to help others fight for justice in the post-conviction system. His case involved suppressed evidence, an undisclosed $5,000 informant reward, and a flawed fire investigation — all issues the jury never heard. Read the full story on our About page.

We assist individuals and families across the United States. Our case review, research, and document preparation work can be done remotely. We are based in Detroit, Michigan and have particular familiarity with Michigan state courts and processes.

No. We work across a range of conviction types, including assault, robbery, sexual assault, and other serious felonies where there may be evidence of a wrongful conviction, constitutional violation, or investigative failure. We will do an initial evaluation to assess whether we can assist.

The incarcerated individual themselves, a family member, a friend acting on their behalf, or an attorney who wants research support may all submit intake forms. Please indicate your relationship to the case clearly in the form.

You do not need to have every document before submitting. We ask you to share what you have — including the judgment, appellate opinions, police reports, trial transcripts, or any other records you can access. We can help identify additional documents that should be obtained once we begin the review.

We aim to acknowledge all submissions and follow up with an initial response within a reasonable period. Volume may affect response time. We will contact the email or phone number provided in the form. Please check your spam folder for email correspondence from us.

Please contact us directly to discuss costs and service arrangements. Our goal is to make meaningful support as accessible as possible. We work with families and individuals at various stages and circumstances.

Yes. All information you submit is treated with strict confidentiality. We do not share your personal information or case details with third parties without your consent.

No. We do not guarantee any outcome, including exoneration, case dismissal, or any particular legal result. Our work provides research, organization, and investigative support. Whether that work leads to legal action, and whether that action succeeds, depends on many factors beyond our control — including the courts, the legal team, and the available evidence.

No. We are not attorneys and do not appear in court or file legal documents on behalf of anyone. Our deliverables — case summaries, research packets, evidence indexes, and other materials — are prepared for use by legal counsel. If a case needs an attorney, we can help identify resources and organizations that may assist.

We will tell you honestly after the initial screening what we can and cannot assess from the materials available. In some cases, the first step is gathering more records before a full review is possible. We will explain what that process looks like and assist where we can.

Yes. We can work in coordination with existing legal counsel to provide supplemental research, document organization, and investigative support. Our goal is to make the legal team's work easier and more organized, not to duplicate their efforts.