Alissa L. Bjerkhoel is a Judge in Nevada County’s Superior Court. Judge Bjerkhoel served as a Panel Attorney for the Sixth District Appellate Program and for Appellate Defenders Inc.
She served as interim director and Litigation Coordinator since 2008 at the California Innocence Project (CIP), a non-profit organization that works to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals. In her role at CIP, Bjerkhoel coordinated all active case litigation, managed the case intake process, served as the in-house DNA expert, authors petitions filed on behalf of clients, speaks at conferences on topics relating to forensics, directs and supervises clinical student casework, and helps draft new laws.
Bjerkhoel is known for her dedication to social justice and has been actively involved in various community and legal organizations. She is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and serves on the National Innocence Network’s Complex DNA Working Group. Alissa has been featured on television shows and podcasts including 20/20, Snapped, Crime Watch Daily, and Flawed Justice. She has also presented at various conferences and workshops on issues related to criminal justice and wrongful convictions.
Judge Bjerkhoel is a native of Truckee, CA and earned a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law.
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