Virtual Open Space on Public Defense Independence

To serve their clients, public defenders must be free from political and judicial control. NAPD’s Foundational Principles and the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System therefore discourage practices that undermine defense independence, like:

• Justices controlling oversight boards
• Law enforcement officials having oversight roles
• Governors having exclusive appointment powers
• County officials removing directors at will
• Judges selecting defense lawyers for their courtrooms
• Judges restricting defense expenses

When independence is challenged, NAPD makes our voice heard, most recently in places like Connecticut, Louisiana, and Colorado. We are now partnering with the ABA Criminal Justice Section and Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense on a Task Force on Public Defense Independence. NAPD and the ABA Task Force are co-hosting this event.

This virtual Open Space event is an opportunity for defenders from around the country to workshop local issues and shape national advocacy on this key issue.

Open Space Format

Rather than having experts deliver presentations and answer questions, Open Spaces are designed for participants to start their own “rooms” for discussions and move between those rooms freely, guided by where they feel they are learning and contributing.

We will have a brief opening in which participants offer their own topics for discussion, then have two rounds of discussion in which they can move from room to room. We will close by sharing notes from each discussion, which will be sent to all meeting participants.

Past virtual Open Spaces on recruitment and workloads have produced practical strategies for addressing those challenges. Please join us on September 19 to discuss how to take action to protect the integrity of public defense systems.