Michael Benza

Michael Benza is Professor of Practice at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law and serves as Associate Director of the Financial Integrity Institute. A leading scholar and practitioner in criminal law and death penalty litigation, he has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and continues to represent death-row inmates in state and federal proceedings.

Education

• Juris Doctor, Case Western Reserve University (1992)
• Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University (1988)
• Bachelor of Arts, Case Western Reserve University (1986)

Research & Teaching Focus

Professor Benza’s scholarly and advocacy work centers on the intersection of constitutional criminal procedure and capital punishment. He teaches courses in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Death Penalty Issues, the Death Penalty Lab, Federal Prisoner Rights, and International Perspectives on the Death Penalty, and coaches the International Criminal Court moot court team.

His practical expertise encompasses Fourth Amendment trespass theory, evolving standards of lethal-injection protocols, and contemporary police use-of-force controversies, reflecting a deep commitment to civil and human rights.

Awards & Honors

• Student Bar Association Professor of the Year – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
• Elected Alumni Member, Society of Benchers – 2009

Practice & Advocacy

In addition to his teaching role, Professor Benza maintains an active litigation practice, representing death-row inmates in state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings. His Supreme Court argument in Smith v. Spisak, 130 S. Ct. 676 (2010), underscores his stature in capital litigation.