Foundational Principles

We firmly believe that that the following foundational principles are essential to help guide all of us in the public defense community as we move forward together not only to address systemic failures of our criminal and juvenile justice systems […]

Letter to ABA Litigation Journal: Defender Workloads are Unethical

We are now generating the reliable data and analytics (not just anecdotes and generalizations) that will provide the factual predicate for systemic case refusal as a remedy for such systemic Sixth Amendment and ethical violations all over the country.

Letter to Fresno County, California, Board of Supervisors

It is our strong belief that under the current situation, clients whose constitutional right to counsel is being provided by the dedicated men and women who work in the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office are having that right compromised as […]

Letter to Houston County, GA, Board of Commissioners

Letter relating to the termination of a chief public defender who raised ethical concerns about workloads.

Letter to Maryland House Judiciary Committee

We, the undersigned officers of the National Association of Public Defense (NAPD), write in support of HB 1119. This legislation addresses the issue of excessive workloads which, along with insufficient resources, has been identified as the primary problem in public […]

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 […]

Open Letter to Judge Sean C. Gallagher, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District

Instead, you maintain, despite considerable evidence to the contrary, that our criminal justice system is “overwhelmingly fair” and that we must “find an acceptable balance between efficiency and justice.” Finally, you rather cynically urge all of us to “accept the […]

Press Release: ‘Milestone’ Study Released on National Public Defense Workload Crisis

“Until now, public defenders have relied on standards from 50 years ago to ask for the relief we desperately need. Times have drastically changed, and this new study provides proof of just how serious this Constitutional crisis has become for […]

Seven Keys to Understanding the National Workload Study

NAPD’s guide to the National Public Defense Workload Study’s methodology and findings.

Statement on Reducing Demand For Public Defense

NAPD makes eight recommendations to reduce defender workload, save money, and reduce recidivism.

Statement on the Necessity of Meaningful Workload Standards for Public Defense Delivery Systems

“NAPD believes the time has come for every public defense provider to develop, adopt, andinstitutionalize meaningful workload standards in its jurisdiction.”