Indigent Defense

Maine will hire its first public defenders to aid struggling indigent defense system

Maine, the last state without public defenders, will soon deploy five of them after Democratic Gov. Janet T. Mills signed a bill earlier this month to create a rural public defenders unit.

May 19, 2022 11:24 AM CDT

Oregon’s overburdened public defender system is ‘buckling before our eyes’

The public defender system in Oregon is so overburdened that several hundred defendants don’t have legal representation at any given time.

May 11, 2022 2:31 PM CDT

Panel attorneys who represent children, indigent adults in New York courts flee low pay

Panel attorneys who represent children and indigent adults in New York family and criminal courts haven’t had a fee hike in almost two decades.

May 3, 2022 8:43 AM CDT

SCOTUS should not restrict counsel’s investigations in death penalty cases, ABA says

In an amicus brief filed Monday, the ABA urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reaffirm that counsel representing habeas petitioners should be able to investigate new evidence without first proving that the evidence will provide relief to their clients.

Apr 5, 2022 9:34 AM CDT

Immigration court system needs independence from the DOJ, ABA representative says at congressional hearing

A former chair of the ABA Commission on Immigration testified before Congress Thursday to advocate for the creation of an independent immigration court system. Immigration courts are currently located within the Department of Justice and under the control of the attorney general.

Jan 21, 2022 9:48 AM CST

Law firm earned $6.8M for indigent defense since 2016, according to state’s overbilling suit

A lawyer who was once the highest-paid public defense lawyer in Maine is facing a state lawsuit contending that she and her law firm misrepresented the hours that they worked on behalf of indigent defendants.

Dec 13, 2021 11:36 AM CST

Judge is accused of wrongly using coercive detention to get misdemeanor defendants to pay fees, costs

An Ohio municipal judge has been accused of ignoring state law by jailing unrepresented defendants for failure to pay fees and fines without holding a hearing to determine their ability to pay.

Dec 8, 2021 4:08 PM CST

Lawyer asks to withdraw from nearly 200 indigent-defense cases after state investigation

A prominent defense lawyer in Maine has asked to withdraw from nearly 200 court-appointed cases after the state’s public defense agency opened an investigation into her firm.

Jul 13, 2021 3:00 PM CDT

Falling behind on rent could mean jail time in one state, but that could change

Only Arkansas permits criminal consequences for nonpayment of rent—and it has enforced the law during the pandemic. Now, after ProPublica investigated the practice, some legislators want to revoke the statute.

Mar 29, 2021 9:50 AM CDT

ABA Criminal Justice Section reflects on its first 100 years

As April Frazier Camara celebrates the 100th anniversary of the ABA’s Criminal Justice Section, she also looks forward to facing the many challenges she sees in the criminal legal system. “Racial injustice is something that is on the minds and hearts of American people,” says Camara, the chair of the section.

Oct 12, 2020 2:09 PM CDT

SCLAID celebrates centennial by recognizing 2 young lawyers’ work to promote access to justice

The ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense is celebrating its 100th anniversary by also celebrating the contributions two young lawyers have made to advance access to justice in their communities.

Sep 3, 2020 9:25 AM CDT

Defense lawyer who didn’t probe death-row client’s bad childhood was deficient, SCOTUS says

A defense lawyer who failed to investigate his capital client’s tumultuous childhood provided ineffective assistance of counsel, the U.S. Supreme Court held Monday.

Jun 15, 2020 3:55 PM CDT

The Bail Project pays defendants’ bail as part of a plan to end money bail entirely

Modeled after a fund started by public defenders more than a decade ago, the Bail Project not only pays defendants’ bail but connects them to social services and makes sure they show up to court.

Nov 1, 2019 2:40 AM CDT

Criminal defense attorney and judge settle suit over alleged retaliation involving recording

A Houston criminal defense attorney who recorded a Galveston County judge saying he “overworks” cases and lacks experience has settled his lawsuit against the judge. In March 2018, Andrew Willey sued Judge Jack Ewing of the Galveston County Court at Law No. 3 for allegedly retaliating against him by refusing…

Apr 23, 2019 4:09 PM CDT