NAPD Issues Call to Action for the Independence of Public Defense Leaders and Programs

(May 27, 2020) – As the nation’s public defenders, we issue an urgent Call to Action.   Many public defense systems suffer from persistent excessive workloads, understaffing, and practices that do not ensure constitutional representation to all clients.    A […]

NAPD Sends Letter to Montgomery County Commissioners in Wake of Firing of Dean Beer and Keisha Hudson

The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) is an organization of over 22,000 public defenders and other public defense professionals, including over 110 organizations from around the country. NAPD stands in solidarity with public defenders everywhere and with the clients […]

An Interview with Lane Borg

 NAPD:  Tell us about your career as a public defender?   In 1984, I started working as a certified law student at Metro Public Defenders. After graduating I was hired as a staff attorney in 1985. I stayed with MPD […]

DON’T MISS the 2nd “WE THE DEFENDERS” TRAINING CONFERENCE

Due to overwhelming demand, NAPD will again offer this comprehensive Investigator and Social Worker/Sentencing Advocate training experience!  The program will include one track for Investigators and a separate track for Social Worker/Sentencing Advocates.  Hear from nationally recognized experts who will […]

An interview with Justine Olderman

The Bronx Defenders recently joined NAPD. Here is an interview with BxD Executive Director, Justine Olderman. NAPD:  Tell us about your career as a public defender?   When I went to law school, I was deeply interested in social justice […]

NAPD Letter to Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

On February 5, 2018, NAPD mailed the letter below to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, relating to the appointment of the new (interim) defender leaders. You can download the letter HERE Dear Supervisors,   The National Association for […]

NAPD Kicks off Workloads Conference

The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) will hold its 2017 Workloads Conference at St. Louis University School of Law on November 17-18, 2017. Public defenders from across the nation will gather in St. Louis to address the problem of […]

NAPD Files Amicus Urging SCOTUS to Reverse a Decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholding a Conviction Obtained through the Knowing and Uncorrected Use of False Testimony

On September 15, 2017, the National Association for Public Defense (NAPD), in collaboration with Miller & Chevalier, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, filed a brief as amicus curiae in support of a petition for certiorari urging the United States Supreme Court […]

NAPD Has a Training Director!

Jeff Sherr, NAPD Training Director Training and education have been NAPD’s highest priorities since our beginning on January 1, 2014.  In fact, we had an Education Committee before we had a website.  There have been amazing volunteers who have taken […]

West Virginia Public Defender Professional Jonathan Friley Joins NAPD Staff

NAPD is thrilled to welcome Jonathan Friley to NAPD's staff. Keeping with our staffing model, Jonathan is a part-time contractor who also works as a public defender professional for the Public Defender Services in West Virginia. We are so grateful […]