Could Veteran Treatment Courts be the Key to Unlocking Criminal Justice Reforms? with David Pelletier

Today on the show, Hunter is joined by David Pelletier, a Project Director in the Justice for Veterans division of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, to discuss Veteran Treatment Courts. Founded by a lone judge in Buffalo, New […]

Why More People and Public Defenders Need to Think and Advocate Systemically w Olayemi Olurin

Today on the Public Defenseless Podcast, Hunter spoke with Olyaemi Olurin, a political commentator, activist, abolitionist and public defender at the New York Legal Aid Society. As with all of the advocacy she does, Olayemi brings unrelenting passion to unpack […]

Missouri Public Defense with Anthony Rothert

The Missouri public defense system has been shaped by lawsuits that the ACLU has brought forth. Meet Anthony Rothert, one of the individuals behind those lawsuits. Anthony is the Director of Integrated Advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri […]

The Recent Victories Igniting New Hope for Missouri Public Defense w Mary Fox

  Today, Hunter revisited Public Defense in the state of Missouri with a conversation with Mary Fox. Mary is the Director of the Missouri State Public Defender system, and this conversation picks up where Hunter’s conversation with ACLU attorney, Anthony […]

The Court Fines and Fees that Fund Alabama with Adam Danneman and Leah Nelson

As with many states, Alabama has elected to fund itself in part of the backs of the poor people who are processed through its legal system. From requiring people to pay to apply for public defenders to a boat load […]

What is Causing the Crisis in Oregon Public Defense?

  The Oregon Public Defender System is broken. Due to a shortage of attorneys willing to take on the cases, hundreds of people wait for months without ever having an attorney appointed to their case. During this wait, they are […]

Ray Keith Discusses the Death Penalty in Texas

When people discuss the criminal legal system, you may often hear someone say, “the system is not broken. It is acting exactly was it was designed.” On today’s episode, Hunter and guest Ray Keith discuss the ways in which the […]

At What Cost? Findings from an Examination into the Imposition of Public Defense System Fees

Today, Hunter sat down with Marea Beeman, Director of Research Initiatives for Defender Legal Services at the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA), to discuss their recent report, “At What Cost? Findings from an Examination into the Imposition of […]

In Small Town Georgia, A Broken Taillight Can Lead to Spiraling Debt w Nick Barber

Today, Hunter sat down with Nick Barber, author of a recent piece in the magazine In These Times called “In Small-Town Georgia, A Broken Taillight Can Lead to Spiraling Debt”. In his investigation and writing, Nick uncovered a corrupt private […]

New Podcast: Justin Heim Explores Social Workers’ Role in Public Defense

Justin Heim – Staff Development Program Specialist (Training Division), Wisconsin State Public Defender – joins this episode to breaks down what a social worker really is and helps us define their role in the legal system.   Trauma is something […]