Indigent Defense

Criminal defendants in Oregon will have charges dismissed if they can’t get timely legal representation

Criminal defendants in Oregon who cannot get timely legal representation from the state must have their charges dismissed, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Feb 6, 2026 9:20 AM CST

Supreme Court sees dramatic decline in appeals from indigent, poor litigants

Appeals from indigent or poor litigants have decreased precipitously at the U.S. Supreme Court over the past several terms and are now at their lowest level in the 21st century, the National Law Journal reports.

Jan 30, 2026 9:17 AM CST

Offering financial incentives among possible strategies to attract lawyers to this state

Financially incentivizing more attorneys to practice in “high-need areas” in Wisconsin is chief among proposals from a Wisconsin Supreme Court committee tasked with addressing ongoing attorney shortages in the state.

Dec 11, 2025 2:01 PM CST

How tough-on-crime policies shift the burden to public defenders

Across the country, criminal justice policy is undergoing yet another pendulum swing. After over a decade of reform efforts focused on decarceration and diversion, states are now reembracing the all-too-familiar tough-on-crime approaches.

Nov 24, 2025 1:55 PM CST

Man accused of fatal shooting after release on unrelated charges because of lack of appointed lawyers

A Boston man has been charged with murder less than a month after unrelated charges against him were dropped because of a lack of court-appointed lawyers.

Nov 19, 2025 11:58 AM CST

About 40 court-appointed defense lawyers in 1 state refuse new cases; shutdown also affects local DC courts

The government shutdown affecting court-appointed lawyers in federal cases is now being felt in Washington, D.C., where money is running out for private attorneys representing indigent defendants in local courts.

Nov 6, 2025 9:39 AM CST

Justice by Design: Can legal tech deliver on its promise?

Justice can be defined as the quality of being impartial or fair. In practice, fairness has never been evenly distributed. Access to justice has always been available to those who can afford it, while those without the necessary means were often left to their own devices. That unfortunate reality reflects inherent inequity; when only the wealthiest in a society can afford legal representation, injustice inevitably follows.

Oct 24, 2025 11:05 AM CDT

Contractual caseload quotas force Oregon public defenders ‘to operate beyond their ethical capacity,’ suit says

A new state contract for organizations providing public defender services in Oregon has an unenforceable quota provision for caseloads that would often make it impossible for defense lawyers to do their jobs, according to a lawsuit filed Sept. 30.

Oct 9, 2025 9:31 AM CDT

Utah contracts with former federal defender chief to represent suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting death

Utah County has hired a private lawyer with significant criminal defense experience to represent the man accused of fatally shooting conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

Sep 26, 2025 9:59 AM CDT

Trump’s plan to penalize states using cashless bail is unconstitutional and unnecessary, critics say

Critics are raising questions about the constitutionality and wisdom of President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to pressure states to require cash bail for defendants charged with a variety of crimes.

Aug 28, 2025 9:36 AM CDT

Person accused in machete attack among those with dropped charges amid defense lawyer work stoppage

The chief justice of Boston’s municipal court dismissed 39 more criminal cases amid a defense lawyer work stoppage Tuesday, including that of a person accused in a machete attack near a school.

Aug 13, 2025 9:29 AM CDT

After attorney work stoppage, some criminal defendants released over lack of representation in this state

Some criminal defendants awaiting trial in Massachusetts have been released following a work stoppage by court-appointed lawyers in the state.

Jul 8, 2025 10:23 AM CDT

Founder of NYC public defender office indicted on fraud charges

The founder of one of New York City’s public defender offices is facing fraud charges for allegedly taking money from the organization for luxury vacations, a penthouse apartment and designer clothes.

Jun 16, 2025 10:15 AM CDT

Crisis looming in Massachusetts as court-appointed attorneys refuse to take on more cases

Massachusetts is experiencing a “full-blown constitutional breakdown” as bar advocates refuse to take on more court-appointed cases, according to the leader of the state’s association of criminal defense attorneys.

Jun 16, 2025 9:14 AM CDT

These attorneys defend clients in need; their pay is being frozen for months

A number of attorneys representing clients who cannot afford legal representation in federal cases are set to have their pay halted for more than two months because of budget shortfalls in the congressional spending bill passed this year, court officials say, alarming lawyers and judges.

May 14, 2025 9:05 AM CDT