Americans’ right to legal counsel protects all of us against the government’s power to lock us away, confiscate our possessions, and deny us the ability to earn a living.

Six decades after the Supreme Court’s decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, the promise of that ruling remains unfulfilled.

As a result of generous grant funding, NACDL is able to offer scholarship assistance to public defense attorneys to attend training programs.

2022CV001027 (Brown County Cir.)

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 lawsuit was filed in Brown County (Green Bay), one of the many counties in the state struggling to find lawyers for every eligible individual, leaving people waiting weeks, months, and in some instances, a year or more, for a lawyer.

On March 18, 1963, in Gideon v. Wainwright, the U.S. Supreme Court laid the foundation for our nation’s public defense system. In their ruling the Court made clear that providing counsel to those facing criminal charges was a “fundamental right, essential to a fair trial.” Today we continue to fight to make the constitutional promises of counsel and of a fair trial realities.

Across the country there have been a number of class action lawsuits challenging public defense delivery systems which fail to ensure constitutionally effective representation. In many instances these lawsuits have been the catalyst for change, calling attention to the injustices that occur when states fail to fulfill their 6th Amendment obligations. 

20^th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference
August 18-20, 2021 | Held Virtually

Learn about the different ways lawyers have organized within the legal community and beyond to better address racial inequity in their jurisdictions.

This discussion examines the roles of race, power, and engagement in the attorney-client relationship.

The Myth of Colorblind Justice presented by L. Song Richardson, Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine

Race Matters I: The Impact of Race on Criminal Justice
September 14-15, 2017 | Detroit, MI

The Champion of Public Defense Award recognizes an individual or group (lawyers and non-lawyers) for exceptional efforts in making positive changes to a local, county, state, or federal public defense system. Although the outstanding direct, individual representation of every defendant is one of NACDL's foremost goals, this award is intended to highlight efforts toward systemic advances through legislation, litigation, or other strategies.

Public defense issues and developments in South Carolina

Public defense issues and developments in Louisiana

Public defense issues and developments in New York.

Public defense issues and developments in Colorado

Public defense issues and developments in California

Public defense issues and developments in Indiana