Featured Event
Please click here for news coverage.
Local events: Check out the calendar of events for upcoming fall coffee/tea hours in your local community! Also, Holland area residents are invited to a special community leader luncheon on September 13.
Talk to candidates about public defense reform: The Campaign for Justice is hosting three events across the state for candidates to learn about public defense reform and meet voters who care about the issue. Click here for nine sample questions to ask candidates that knock on your door or that see you at events. This is a great opportunity to continue the dialogue about the reform that is needed.
Duncan litigation update: On July 16, the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed the Duncan et. al. v. State of Michigan case. Click here for the order and click here for the press release from the Campaign for Justice. Note: The Campaign for Justice is not involved in the litigation effort.
Documentary: Publicly Defended - Michigan's Fight For Public Defender Reform
A group of Michigan State University film students recently filmed a documentary entitled "Publicly Defended: Michigan's Fight for Public Defender Reform." This film gives an inside look into the problem and offers chilling accounts of how Michiganders are affected by the failing public defense system. Please take the time to watch this incredible film by clicking here.
Note: The Campaign for Justice did not produce, direct, or film this video. A talented group of MSU students began and implemented this project as volunteers.
Show your support public defense reform!
In 2009, Representatives Constan and Amash introduced House Bill 5676. The Campaign supports this legislation which will bring about long overdue reforms to Michigan's public defense system. Click here to read HB 5676. Click here for a summary of HB 5676. Click here to read the press release and the Campaign's official statement regarding the bill introduction.
News
|
|
Demand Michigan Provide Effective Legal Defense to the PoorElizabeth Renter, Change.Org, August 21, 2010
What happens when an indigent defendant isn't afforded effective counsel? Perhaps an unwise plea agreement, a disproportionate sentence, or even a potential wrongful conviction. While the U.S. Constitution guarantees each citizen the right to effective counsel in a criminal case, not all defendants are getting that benefit. While this is true across the country, Michigan is recognized as having one of the most troublesome public defense systems of all. More >> Thursday, August 26, 2010
|
|
|
State has to shoulder public defenseLansing State Journal, August 10, 2010
The Michigan Supreme Court turned away a challenge last month to the state's county-based system of public defense attorneys. More >> Tuesday, August 10, 2010
|
|
|
Michigan's poor deserve better representationSouth Bend Tribune, July 29, 2010
Now that the Michigan Supreme Court has thrown out a lawsuit that could have forced the overhaul of the state's indigent defense system, the job of protecting those who cannot afford their own lawyers falls to the state's executive and legislative branches. More >> Thursday, July 29, 2010
|
|
|
Court rules in favor of unequal justice for poor defendantsDetroit Free Press, July 20, 2010
It's a sad state of affairs when our state's highest court possesses neither the financial wherewithal nor any urgent sense of responsibility to uphold the constitutional rights of Michigan's most vulnerable citizens. But that is the inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the Michigan Supreme Court's abrupt about-face in a lawsuit brought by indigent criminal defendants and championed by judges and prosecutors across the state. More >> Wednesday, July 21, 2010
|
|
|
MI Supreme Court dismisses challenge to indigent defense systemRick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network, July 16, 2010
The court split along party lines. The four Republican justices in the majority said it's up to the governor and the Legislature-not the courts-to design and fund a system for ensuring legal representation for poor defendants. More >> Wednesday, July 21, 2010
|
|
|
Michigan Supreme Court changes mind on challenge to court-apponted attorneysDawson Bell, Detroit Free Press, July 16, 2010
The Michigan Supreme Court executed a remarkable U-turn this morning, overturning its own 2-month-old order and throwing out a class-action challenge to the state's system of providing attorneys to indigent defendants. More >> Wednesday, July 21, 2010
|
|
|
Court tosses suit over lawyers for poorEd White, Associated Press, July 17,2010
The Michigan Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit Friday that had the potential to force an overhaul of the way poor criminal defendants get attorneys, less than three months after a completely different order. More >> Tuesday, July 20, 2010
|
|
|
High Court kills lawsuit forcing state to pay more for poor defendantsDoug Guthrie, Detroit News, July 17, 2010
The Michigan Supreme Court reversed itself Friday and threw out a lawsuit that aimed to force the state to provide more funding to hire lawyers for poor people accused of crimes. More >> Tuesday, July 20, 2010
|
|
|
Bill proposes state control of indigent legal defenseScott Aiken, The Herald-Palladium, July 09, 2010
Michigan is failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide competent legal defense for poor people charged with crimes, the director of a reform group said Thursday. More >> Friday, July 09, 2010
|
|
|
Justice shortchanged in public defense systemDetroit Free Press, July 02, 2010
Michigan's appalling public defense system has made a sham of the constitution right to adequate legal counsel. No uniform standards and scandalously low pay, among other things, prevent many indigent defendants in Michigan from getting effective legal assistance and, ultimately, a fair trial. More >> Tuesday, July 06, 2010
|
|
|
Viewpoint: State's public defender system doesn't provide justiceMatt Wesaw, The Muskegon Chronicle, June 18, 2010
Last month, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission unanimously approved a resolution saying that "in order to protect the civil and constitutional right of all, Michigan must maintain a public defense delivery system that meets national standards and provides the effective assistance of counsel...to those who cannot afford to hire an attorney." As a retired Michigan State trooper, I am acutely aware that the safety of our state depends in large part on the integrity of the criminal justice system. Justice must be distributed based on a consideration of investigated evidence; not the ability to pay for an attorney. More >> Tuesday, June 22, 2010
|
|
|
Commission Calls For Adequate Defense CounselGongwer, May 26, 2010
If criminal defendants are not being provided adequate counsel, their civil rights are being violated, the Civil Rights Commission said in a resolution adopted Monday evening. More >> Wednesday, May 26, 2010
|
|
|
CRC Weighs In On Indigent DefenseMIRS, May 26, 2010
At the regular meeting of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission on Monday the panel passed a resolution on the right to adequate indigent defense counsel.
More >> Wednesday, May 26, 2010
|
|
|
Editorial: Michigan needs to do better job defending the poor in courtThe Grand Rapids Press, May 19, 2010
Justice shouldn't depend on your ZIP code or bank account. Yet in Michigan, poor people too often receive a substandard defense - how substandard depends on which county they're in. More >> Wednesday, May 19, 2010
|
|
|
YouTube Channel
Case Profile Spotlight
Test
Volunteer Hall of Fame
The Campaign for Justice is very proud of the wonderful volunteers we have. We thank them for their dedication and support.
Click here to check out the volunteers we are honoring this month in our Volunteer Hall of Fame. Quotes
"Putting politics aside, we must address the fact that, simply put, there is a crisis in indigent defense in this country."
- Attorney General Eric Holder
Click here to read other quotes
Justice Forum
Join the discussion on public defense reform in Michigan.
Go to the Justice Forum...
Additional NewsJoin the Campaign Facebook group!
Follow the Campaign on Twitter!
|
