Dr. Stephen Bright

Biography

Stephen B. Bright is a Harvey L. Karp Visiting Lecturer at Yale Law School. He has extensive experience in capital cases throughout various states including Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, having argued cases in both state and federal appellate courts, including four cases before the United States Supreme Court. His work has led to significant advancements in addressing racial discrimination in jury selection and the funding of expert witnesses in capital cases. Bright served as director of the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta from 1982 to 2005 and was president and senior counsel from 2006 to 2016. Prior to this role, he worked as a legal services attorney in Appalachia, a public defender in Washington, D.C., and as director of a law school clinical program. His teaching focuses on capital punishment, the legal representation of impoverished individuals accused of crimes, prison and jail conditions, racial discrimination in the criminal justice system, and judicial independence. He is the author of the book 'The Fear of Too Much Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts.' Bright's contributions to civil rights have been recognized with awards, including the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award in 1998 and being named “Agitator of the Year” by the Daily Report in 2003 for his role in creating a public defender system in Georgia. His work has inspired several publications and documentaries.

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