For more than a year, NACDL has examined Maine’s public defense system, providing technical assistance to MCILS under a grant from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. ... As the nation’s preeminent criminal defense bar, NACDL is keenly interested in ensuring public defense providers have caseloads that are reasonable and allow them to fulfill their legal, ethical, and constitutional obligations.

On behalf of NACDL, I urge you to pass the bipartisan Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act, H.R. 546/S. 3524, before the 117th Congress adjourns. The bill ensures that email communications between people in Federal Bureau of Prisons custody and their legal teams are protected with the same privilege as legal visits, letters, and phone calls. This legislation passed in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in a 414-11 vote. The action by the House and bipartisan sponsorship for the Senate bill indicates a high level of support for this common-sense reform.

Letter to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law regarding deferred and non-prosecution agreements for corporations, as proposed in the Accountability in Deferred Prosecution Act of 2009 (H.R. 1947).

Letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul in support of legislative efforts in New York that seek to abolish mandatory minimums, allow judges to reconsider excessive sentences after a specified amount of time, and strengthen "good time" and "merit time" laws in order to mitigate the drivers and consequences of the trial penalty. 

Written testimony of Bonnie Hoffman on behalf of NACDL in support of HB 380, The Public Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program.

2016 letter from numerous organizations, including NACDL, supporting legislation to provide additional funding for New York's public defense system.

Coalition letter calling upon Governor Hochul, Lieutenant Governor Benjamin, and legislative leaders to protect bail, discovery, and Raise the Age reforms in New York.

In 2018 NACDL filed a public comment in support of a Petition before the Wisconsin Supreme Court to raise the rate of compensation for court appointed counsel, and declaring its current $40 per hour rate as unreasonable. The Court refused to hold the state's rate unreasonable, but did elect to raise its own court assigned case rate from $70/hour to $100/hr.

Coalition letter to members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees regarding proposed reforms to federal forfeiture law.

NACDL letter to Senator Michael Miller in support of legislation to repeal the death penalty in Maryland.

Letter to the Maryland House Judiciary Committee in opposition to HB 839, a proposal to terminate the Public Defender representation of an indigent client immediately after bail review, unless the client remains in custody. 

Coalition letter to the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate regarding proposed legislation to allow law enforcement to use facial recognition technology for criminal investigations. 

Letter to the California Assembly Public Safety Committee in support of Senate Bill 1021, which would allow individuals convicted of certain first-time misdemeanor DUI offenses to be granted diversion.

We are writing to thank you for holding a hearing exploring the adequacy of criminal intent standards in federal prosecutions. NACDL is uniquely positioned not only to understand the necessity of an adequately protective mens rea requirement, but to witness the practical effects of its erosion each and every day. NACDL is grateful for this opportunity to share our expertise on this concept, which is of fundamental import to our entire criminal justice system, and to present our views, supported by others across the ideological divide, on why mens rea reform demands immediate action.

The bill represents a very important step forward by leaders from both political parties to address a matter that has been the source of significant injustice and unfairness in the American criminal justice system. Mens rea reform was a central theme of the discussions and testimony in the multiple hearings held by the bipartisan 2013-14 House Overcriminalization Task Force. NACDL applauds the bold and significant, bipartisan leadership on this important issue.