Congress Passes the Justice For All Act: Provisions Relevant to Your Office, Clients and Cases

In many instances, federal legislative and executive priorities in criminal justice have only exacerbated many of the problems facing defenders and the communities they serve across the country.  Law enforcement and prosecution grants create more arrests, more cases, and more […]

Lawsuits in Houston

There are now two lawsuits filed in the federal courts for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, involving the practices of detaining and releasing criminal defendants in the Harris County courts. The first suit, filed earlier this year, is […]

A Letter to Governor Cuomo

5 December 2016   Governor Cuomo: Let me start by applauding you for your recent actions supporting the rights of the poor and disenfranchised.  Your plan to create of a public/private defense fund for individuals facing immigration deportation proceedings; your […]

Talking to Jurors about Race

The NC Public Defender Commission on Racial Equity (NC PDCORE) is a committee of the North Carolina Public Defender Association. The mission of NC PDCORE is to reduce and ultimately eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system […]

A Thank You Letter to My Clients

It is difficult to appreciate the holiday season when on Thanksgiving Day, our Native brothers and sisters while attempting to peacefully protect their land and water were met by militarized police forces. It is not easy to muster up enthusiasm […]

Stand With Them: Zohra Bakhtary

If you’re a part of the public defense community, then you very likely know about today’s hero: Zohra Bakhtary. In May of 2016, Zohra, a Deputy Public Defender from Clark County Nevada, made national headlines when a judge ordered her […]

The Longest Email Goodbye Ever

Here it is, the obligatory goodbye email. As I say farewell to Legal Aid, I also step away from direct services work (I’m headed to the Innocence Project). So I shall use some of the brownie points I’ve earned along […]

Concerts for Indigent Defense: Be a Part of It!

It’s not that the public doesn’t believe in the constitutional right to counsel, even for people who can’t afford to provide their own.   By and large, they do.   This constitutional right is so poorly treated because the public doesn’t […]

Maryland Communities Paid More Than $256 Million in Corporate Bail Bond Premiums Between 2011 and 2015, Often in Cases Where There Was Ultimately No Finding of Wrongdoing

This blog was originally released to the media on November 15, 2016. Media may contact:  Melissa Rothstein at 410-767-9853 In a report released today, the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD), in partnership with economics professor Arpit Gupta, Ph.D., […]

Live Now. Litigate Later.

“Good morning this is Tamika from Virginia.” “This is Autum from Philadelphia, and I have 2 sons” “This is Vicki from Cleveland. I have a 21 year old.” “Good morning from San Diego, there’s no sun here yet.” The callers […]