Joint Letter to Congress on Federal Defender Funding

Joint letter relating to proposed budget cuts of federal Defender Services Even after implementing these emergency measures, the program faces a devastating shortfall: the House mark is $80.6 million less than the bare minimum of what the program needs, and […]

Joint Letter to U.S. Attorney General Requesting Federal Investigation in Orange County, California

“We write to urge the Department of Justice to initiate an investigation into the actions of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (“OCSD”) and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (“OCDA”) in connection with the use of jailhouse informants and the […]

Letter on the Organization of Scientific Areas Committees

With this guiding principle, we believe that the Organization of Scientific Areas Committees (OSAC) must continue to take a hard look at problematic methodologies and establish uniform standards for all forensic science disciplines.

Letter to President Biden on Eyvin Hernandez

We write to you with an urgent request to secure the release of Eyvin Hernandez, who has been wrongfully detained in Venezuela for over eight months. Eyvin has served his Los Angeles community for over 15 years as a career […]

Letter to President Biden on Judicial Nominations

“As you consider filling a judicial vacancy in the Western District of North Carolina, we encourage you to (1) continue to build racial and gender diversity on the federal bench; and (2) continue to nominate former public defenders.”

Letter to the Biden Administration on Access-to-Justice Initiatives

“On May 18, 2021, President Biden signed a Memorandum reestablishing the White House Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) and requiring the Attorney General to submit a plan within 120 days to expand access-to-justice initiatives at the Department of Justice (DOJ). The public […]

Letter to U.S. Attorney General on Revised Fines & Fees Policies

“The recent revocation of this guidance memo by Attorney General Sessions doesn’t change the law but it sends a troubling message that the current Justice Department no longer intends to enforce existing law designed to protect one of this country’s […]

Letter to U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics on Data Accuracy

“NAPD members were gratified to note the attention that your agency hasrecently shown to the levels of resources available to defenders across the nation (your reports numbered NCJ 246683 and NCJ 246684). Our members report to us frequently their dire […]

Letter to U.S. House Judiciary Committee Requesting Supplemental Federal Funding for Coronavirus Response

“Responding to the public health emergency and ensuring the safety of the American people is rightly the primary focus of the federal government at this moment. We write to highlight the urgent need to protect the population that is among […]

Letter to U.S. House Judiciary Committee Supporting National Criminal Justice Commission and the National Center for the Right to Counsel

“We are submitting this letter in support of both the National CriminalJustice Commission Act and the National Center for the Right to Counsel Act.Passage of both of these bills, in our view, will be important in view of themany major […]

Letter to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Hearing on Misdemeanor Representation

“We write to thank you for holding the hearing on Wednesday, May 13on Protecting the Constitutional Right to Counsel for Indigents Charged withMisdemeanors and to file a post-hearing statement with the Committee. […]We followed the May 13 hearing closely, conferred […]

Letter to US House Judiciary Committee on Public Defenders’ Response to Coronavirus

Responding to the public health emergency and ensuring the safety of the American people is rightly the primary focus of the federal government at this moment. We write to highlight the urgent need to protect the population that is among […]

Public Comment on the National Commission on Forensic Science

NAPD encourages the Department of Justice to continue the National Commission on Forensic Science, to complete the discipline review and uniform language projects, and to support the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s role assessing the technical merit and the […]

Recommendations for the Biden Administration Transition Team

NAPD outlines nine recommendations for reforming public defense, in the areas of Funding, Data, and Policy.

Statement on the 2016 Election

“This month’s elections produced for our federal government a change in course of grave importance for all whose lives are impacted by our criminal justice system, our immigration policies and the legal framework that guarantees our civil rights. As the […]