“I can only speak from my personal convictions. I am opposed to the taking of life and to capital punishment. I cannot see where this does any good. To me, executions are senseless.”
- Iowa Governor Harold hughes¹
to President John F. Kennedy
THE DECLARATION
A Declaration of Life is a statement opposing the death penalty.² Similar to a living will, it is a written, signed, and notarized document expressing one’s desires when they are no longer alive. If the declarant is ever the victim of a homicide or any other serious crime, the Declaration urges prosecutors to not seek the death penalty against the perpetuator. It may be revoked at any time by the declarant and applies in any state, regardless of whether the state it is signed in already bans the death penalty. Though the Declaration is not a binding legal instrument, it may be admissible at trial and considered by a jury. In essence, it states “don’t kill in my name.”
THE Pop-up CLINIC
The Pop-Up Clinic is an one-time opportunity for attendees to sign their own Declaration of Life with the assistance of a law student. This is a public event to provide education on the death penalty and the history of Declarations. Law students will communicate with attendees one-on-one to answer their questions, discuss advantages and disadvantages of signing a Declaration, and assist them in notarization. Attendees are not required to sign a Declaration and can change their decision at any time.
Drake University Law School students will volunteer under the supervision and with assistance of a licensed attorney. Students interested in volunteering should contact Anthony J. Zarzycki.
THE EVENT
Drake University Law School
Room TBA
Des Moines, IA
6PM-7PM, February 24, 2027
Join the Drake University Law School Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation for their inaugural Declaration of Life Pop-Up Clinic. For attendees considering signing a Declaration, please bring an unexpired government-issued ID. The Declaration form will be provided at the event. There is no cost to attend but attendees must RSVP in advance. Food and beverages will be provided. Attendance for the entire hour is not mandatory.
This event is held on the 62nd anniversary of Iowa Governor Harold Hughes signing H.F. 595, the most recent and current ban on the death penalty.³
This event is made possible by the support of the Drake University Law School Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation. The Institute promotes justice through research, education, and action, connecting law with the humanities and social sciences. This Clinic furthers the Institute’s mission through research in death penalty history and jurisprudence with the intent of connecting this scholarship with action. By adopting the norm of justice, not the rule of law alone, the Institute seeks to increase the legitimacy of the judicial system and the profession so that they may warrant public trust.
If you are a legal professional interested in replicating a Declaration of Life Clinic near you, please contact Dean Strang, Director of the Drake University Law Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation at dean.strang@drake.edu.