Antrell Thomas et al vs. Jennifer Bias, et al

2022CV001027 (Brown County Cir.)

In 2022, in response to the ongoing crisis in Wisconsin where thousands of people facing criminal charges are waiting for lawyers to be assigned to their cases, NACDL, our Wisconsin affiliate (WACDL), the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law, and the Chicago office of Winston & Strawn filed a lawsuit. The case was filed in Brown County, one of the many counties struggling to find lawyers for eligible individuals, leaving people waiting weeks, months, or even longer for a lawyer to be assigned to their case. 

Documents


The suit alleges violations of the right to counsel and requests class certification on behalf of all individuals in the state waiting 14 days or more to have a lawyer assigned to their case. Relief sought includes:

  • Declaring the delay in appointing counsel violates the United States and Wisconsin Constitutions.
  • Enjoining the state from administering the current public defense system insofar as it deprives eligible individuals from timely receiving counsel.
  • Directing the establishment of a constitutional public defense system.
  • Directing the State Public Defender to move to dismiss the cases of those without counsel on the basis that their right to counsel is violated when counsel is not promptly provided.

Key Events

Case details

Media Coverage

Other NACDL work in Wisconsin

State v. Nhia Lee

Amicus brief graphic

 

 

Featured Products

Explore keywords to find information