Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann / Partner

Anna is a leading authority on Section 1983 wrongful conviction law nationally. She has helped secure dozens of significant verdicts and settlements around the country, including some of the largest wrongful conviction jury verdicts ever awarded. Her appellate practice has led to reversals of defense judgments and multi-million dollar settlements in jurisdictions across the country. Anna is regularly consulted by other civil rights lawyers around the country for assistance on complicated questions of civil rights law. She is a longtime member of the Executive Committee of the National Police Accountability Project.

Representative Successes:

• Trulove v. D’Amico: $10 million jury verdict for man who spent 6 years wrongly imprisoned; $13.1 million post-verdict recovery largest ever with the San Francisco Police Department.
• Restivo v. Hessemann: won $36 million jury verdict against Nassau County officer who framed two innocent men for rape and murder; obtained total compensation of over $48.5 million.
• Mellen v. Winn: $12 million for California woman who spent 16 years wrongly imprisoned; highest per-year wrongful-conviction settlement with the Los Angeles Police Department.
• Bivens v. Forrest County: with co-counsel Lathrop GPM, obtained $20.5 million settlement for families of three Black men wrongly convicted of murder; largest wrongful conviction settlement in Mississippi.
• Deskovic v. Putnam County: won $41.65 million jury verdict against New York officer who fabricated confession from innocent teen, causing his 16 years wrongful imprisonment. One of the largest and largest per-year wrongful conviction jury verdicts ever.
• Saunders v. City of Chicago: over $16 million in settlements with the City of Chicago and Cook County for innocent teen who spent 16 years wrongly incarcerated based on a fabricated confession.
• Coley v. Simi Valley: over $25 million in total settlements for California man who spent 38 years wrongly imprisoned for double murder.
• Counts v. City of New York: nearly $14 million in total settlements for New York City man who spent 25 years wrongly imprisoned for rape.
• Tapp v. City of Idaho Falls: $11.7 million settlement for 20 years wrongful incarceration; largest wrongful conviction settlement in Idaho.