Public Defenders

Defendants want new trials because of racist Facebook posts said to be written by their lawyer

Lawyers for at least two convicted men in Massachusetts are seeking new trials because of racist and offensive Facebook posts thought to have been written by their now-deceased defense lawyer.

Feb 24, 2022 8:49 AM CST

Innovative nonprofit organization supports public defenders and their clients

A low-income defendant. An overworked public defender. An underresourced legal system and a cash-strapped local government. Most people wouldn’t look at this scenario and immediately think “opportunity,” but that’s what sets New York City lawyer Emily Galvin-Almanza apart—and explains her innovative approach to legal reform.

Feb 1, 2022 2:20 AM CST

New Mexico has 1/3rd the number of public defenders necessary to meet caseload, study finds

The Law Offices of the Public Defender of the State of New Mexico only has one-third of the full-time attorneys it needs to handle its adult criminal and juvenile caseloads, according to a joint study by the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense and Seattle-based accounting and consulting firm Moss Adams.

Jan 20, 2022 11:14 AM CST

Law firm earned $6.8M for indigent defense since 2016, according to state’s overbilling suit

A lawyer who was once the highest-paid public defense lawyer in Maine is facing a state lawsuit contending that she and her law firm misrepresented the hours that they worked on behalf of indigent defendants.

Dec 13, 2021 11:36 AM CST

New database tracks gender-based violence sentencing decisions in the Pacific

“The training not only showed us information about the trends in sentencing decisions, but it definitely got us thinking about a lot of things,” said Loukinikini Vili, a lawyer and the director of human rights at Samoa’s Office of the Ombudsman/National Human Rights Institution.

Dec 9, 2021 8:49 AM CST

For some civil rights lawyers, police body camera video can be hard to come by

Many civil rights attorneys seeking body camera video find police departments, officials and judges can stand in their way. Sometimes, according to lawyers and legal experts, the video is selectively released or edited. That can leave lawyers with little choice but to file a lawsuit and use discovery and subpoena power to obtain recordings, delaying justice for families wanting a more complete picture of what happened to their loved ones. Even so, police say there are good reasons to withhold, edit or redact footage to protect the privacy rights of people who appear on camera and prevent interference in ongoing investigations.

Dec 1, 2021 2:00 AM CST

What is the starting pay for public defenders? Low salaries discourage applicants

The median starting salary for public defenders is $63,638, according to information supplied by public defender offices in larger cities throughout the United States.

Oct 21, 2021 12:16 PM CDT

Top state court rules against public defender who sued ACLU for calling him ‘crooked’

A public defender is a public official who must prove actual malice in his defamation lawsuit against the American Civil Liberties Union for a blog post calling him “crooked,” the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.

Oct 20, 2021 12:51 PM CDT

‘I can’t keep up with you on this stuff,’ busy trial lawyer tells Georgia justices in public defender’s libel suit

A lawyer representing an assistant public defender in a libel suit on Tuesday struggled with some oral argument questions about whether his client was a public official, finally telling the Georgia Supreme Court that he would hire someone else to “argue appellate stuff” in the future.

Aug 25, 2021 1:49 PM CDT

Public defenders say modified ShotSpotter coordinates were used to implicate client; is it a widespread problem?

Updated: Gunshot detection technology known as ShotSpotter has been used as evidence in 190 court cases even as some critics raise questions about the technology.

Jul 27, 2021 11:24 AM CDT

Lawyer tweets that minorities don’t have to feel guilty about BigLaw career, garnering over 1,200 likes

A Hispanic lawyer who works as a public defender apparently struck a nerve when she offered some career advice on Twitter.

Jul 22, 2021 10:28 AM CDT

Biden’s latest judicial picks include a voting rights lawyer nominated to the 2nd Circuit

President Joe Biden’s latest round of judicial picks includes a voting rights lawyer nominated to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New York. Biden announced five judicial nominations Tuesday, which brings his total nominees to 24.

Jun 16, 2021 12:12 PM CDT

A new evidence management tool aims to help public defenders process video and audio

Two University of Chicago alums and technologists have developed a technology platform known as JusticeText, an AI-powered evidence management tool primarily geared toward public defenders.

Jun 16, 2021 9:07 AM CDT

Judge is suspended for rude treatment of public defenders; he will also have to hire a counselor or life coach

The Arkansas Supreme Court has suspended a judge and ordered him to hire a counselor or a life coach for rude and intimidating treatment of public defenders in the courtroom. Judge Barry Sims, a circuit judge in Arkansas, will be suspended for 30 days.

Jun 8, 2021 12:54 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge rejects $2B Roundup settlement; Dershowitz pursues defamation suits

Judge rejects $2B settlement in Roundup litigation

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California has rejected a proposed $2 billion settlement of future claims in litigation…

May 27, 2021 3:25 PM CDT