Daniel Canon

Civil Rights Attorney

From the Courtroom to the Classroom: Fighting for Justice and Equality for All

Daniel J. Canon is a civil rights lawyer, law professor, writer, speaker, consultant, and activist. He is best known as being the lead counsel for Kentucky plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which brought marriage equality to all fifty states. He teaches civil procedure at Louis D. Brandeis School of Law where he is also the Director of Externships.

Dan has extensive litigation experience and has served as counsel all over the country in cases involving the rights of incarcerated people, wrongful convictions, abuse and overreach by law enforcement, academic freedom, employment discrimination and more. He has represented plaintiffs in numerous other high-profile civil and constitutional rights cases, including the same-sex couple who were infamously denied marriage licenses in Rowan County, Kentucky after the Obergefell ruling, and served as counsel for protesters against the Trump administration in Nwanguma v. Trump.

Dan has been profiled and quoted extensively in Time, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Nightline, The New York Times, and many other national and international news sources. His writing has been featured in numerous publications, including the The Washington Post, National Law Journal, Above the Law, Salon, and Slate. His most recent book, Pleading out: How Please Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class is available for purchase now.

  • Civil Rights

    Criminal Law

    Sexual Abuse

  • State Courts
    Kentucky

    Indiana

    Federal Courts

    US Supreme Court

    6th Circuit Court of Appeals

    7th Circuit Court of Appeals

    9th Circuit Court of Appeals

    Southern District of Indiana

    Eastern District Kentucky

    Western District of Kentucky

  • University of Louisville—Brandeis School of Law

    University of Louisville

A blistering critique of America’s assembly-line approach to criminal justice and the shameful practice at its core: the plea bargain

Most Americans believe the jury trial is the backbone of our criminal justice system. But in fact, the vast majority of cases never make it to trial: almost all criminal convictions are the result of a plea bargain, a deal made entirely out of the public eye.

Law professor and civil rights lawyer Dan Canon argues that plea bargaining may swiftly dispose of cases, but it also fuels an unjust system. This practice produces a massive underclass of people who are restricted from voting, working, and otherwise participating in society. And while innocent people plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in exchange for lesser sentences, the truly guilty can get away with murder.

With heart-wrenching stories, fierce urgency, and an insider’s perspective, Pleading Out exposes the ugly truth about what’s wrong with America’s criminal justice system today—and offers a prescription for meaningful change.

This will be a section dedicated to some important media where Dan was featured or where he wrote a piece selected from his personal website.

  • "Dan is a very thorough attorney who always gives excellent advice and whose ethics are beyond reproach. I would recommend his services to anyone needing a legal consultation."

    -M. Faulkner

  • "We had favorable results. Dan was there when I needed him and was easy to get in touch with."

    -D. Cronin

    Insurance Agency Owner

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