Publications

In March 2009, Dawn Van Hoek of the State Appellate Defender Office published a white paper entited "Penny-Wise and Pound Foolish," discussing the cost savings of an effective public defense system.

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers released a report entitled "Minor Crimes, Massive Waste: The Terrible Toll of America's Broken Misdemeanor Courts" on April 28, 2009.

The Constutition Project's Right to Counsel Committee released a report entitled "Justice Denied: America's Continuing Neglect of Our Constitutional Right to Counsel" on April 14, 2009.

The Brennan Center for Justice released a publication entitled "Eligible for Justice: Guidelines for Appointing Defense Counsel," on September 16, 2008.

The National Legal Aid and Defender Association released an evaluation of trial-level indigent defense services in Michigan entitled "A Race to the Bottom; Speed & Savings Over Due Process: A Constitutional Crisis" in June 2008.

The Ten Core Principles: For Providing Quality Delinquency Representation Through Public Defense Delivery Systems were adopted by the National Juvenile Defender Center and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association in partnership with the American Council of Chief Defenders in December 2004 and revised and reissued in July 2008. 

The Eleven Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System were adopted by the Public Defense Task Force and the State Bar of Michigan Advisory Council in 2002.

"Statewide Indigent Defense Systems: 2006."  The Spangenberg Group compiled the accompanying table, to compare the statewide public defense delivery systems, where they exist, used among the states and the District of Columbia.

"Statewide Indigent Defense Commissions, December 2006."  Spangenberg Group developed this report at the request of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants.  The report is designed to assist members of the bar, state legislators, criminal justice system planners and others who are interested in effectuating positive change in the indigent defense systems in their own states.

National Legal Aid and Defender Association. "Guidelines for Negotiating and Awarding Governmental Contracts for Criminal Defense Services."