Not Guilty

Halfway through trial today, I sat at lunch astounded yet again. Fidgeting with a wrapper on the table, I was trying to make some small talk as we waited for the food to arrive, wondering why I even ordered. Although […]

Celebrate #PublicDefenseDay Friday, March 18th!

This Friday, March 18th marks the 53rd anniversary of Gideon v. Wainright, and the first nationwide celebration of Public Defense Day. NAPD is leading a social media campaign to highlight the work we all do every day. Individual defender offices are […]

Being Client-Centered When Your Client’s Children Are in Foster Care

Your client’s liberty is threatened by a criminal charge. You want to suppress that search. You want to pressure the prosecutor so you can get that good deal. You want to beat that case. You do it by aggressively litigating, […]

Adachi to Receive Public Transparency Award

For exposing law enforcement misconduct to the public, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi will be honored with an award from the Society of Professional Journalists this week.  SPJ’s Northern California chapter will present Adachi with its Public Official Award […]

MIDC Releases First Report on Indigent Defense Delivery

After a series of lawsuits and research reports documented the failure of Michigan’s trial level public defense system, Governor Rick Snyder established an Advisory Commission on Indigent Defense in 2011 to investigate and make recommendations for improvements to the provision of […]

Why Black History Month Matters to Public Defenders

Everything about the U.S. has been shaped by the heritage, accomplishments and struggles of African Americans — so much so that containing it in 28 days seems woefully inadequate. The criminal injustice system is married to the history of oppression of black […]

Finding Mercy Many Miles from the Office

Page and Palette book store is tucked away on a street corner in Fairhope Alabama, and a short walk from the abundant beauty and serenity of Mobil Bay. It’s also a little over 700 miles from the St. Louis County […]

Let Your Public Defender Values Lead You

In Lorraine Hansberry's book, A Raisin in the Sun, Lena Younger asks her son Walter why he's always so fixated on money.  Walter responds by telling his mother, "Money is life!"  He explains to her that life has always been defined by how […]

Unwitting Getaway Driver Acquitted of Robbery

A San Francisco man forced at gunpoint to become a getaway driver for a federal fugitive was acquitted of numerous robbery-related felonies following a three week trial, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced on Friday, February 19th.  Jurors on […]

Bryan Stevenson for the Supreme Court

The various short lists of potential nominees for the Supreme Court vacancy contain well credentialed, mainstream members of the legal establishment, largely judges and former prosecutors who have spent their careers wielding the power of the state against individuals. President […]