Maisie Osteen
Maisie joined the Decarceral Justice Program at the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) in October 2020. Her work centers on the decriminalization of poverty and reducing the reach and impact of the criminal legal system, with a focus on advancing decarceral policies and supporting individuals returning home after incarceration. She represents individuals in court debt, expungement, and record-sealing matters, while leading the Decarceral Justice Program’s policy advocacy to address the systemic barriers created by the criminal legal system.
At LAJC, Maisie led efforts to pass legislation allowing individuals to apply the value of low-wage work performed while incarcerated toward their outstanding court debt. This reform reduces the financial burdens people face upon release, helping individuals and their families redirect thousands of dollars toward establishing stability and rebuilding their lives free from further criminal legal system involvement. Maisie also works closely with the Virginia Pretrial Justice Coalition, where she has led efforts to eliminate unjust presumptions against bail, reform how failures to appear are understood and addressed, and increase transparency in Virginia’s pretrial system. In addition to her advocacy, Maisie spent five years teaching in the University of Virginia Civil Rights Clinic, where she helped prepare the next generation of lawyers to recognize their power to create meaningful change in their communities wherever their careers take them.
Beyond policy advocacy, Maisie values working alongside individuals to address the challenges they face and navigate systems that too often stand in the way of their stability and success. She has partnered with hundreds of people working to eliminate substantial, often decades-old, criminal court debt, clear their records, and challenge the systems and practices that perpetuate harm in their communities.
Prior to joining LAJC, Maisie served as a Public Defender in Columbia, South Carolina, where she witnessed both the devastating reach of the American criminal legal system and the resilience and fortitude of the people navigating it. Maisie earned her BBA from Hofstra University and her law degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law, where she received the Calhoun Bond University Service Award and the National Association of Women Lawyers Award. A devoted daughter of Virginia, Maisie is honored to work alongside communities and advocates across the Commonwealth to advance a more just and equitable legal system.
