

Indigent Defense / Public Defender Systems
Assisting in the reform and improvement of indigent defense systems across the country.
Recent Articles & Developments
Restraining Excessive Defender Caseloads: The ABA Ethics Committee Requires Action |
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ABA Formal Opinion 06-441 As a special service to the public defender community, the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility is providing Formal Opinion 06-441 at no charge. Pursuant to agreement with the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants will authorize duplication of multiple copies of ABA Formal Opinion 06-441 for non-profit purposes. Requests for duplication of copies should be addressed to
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The State of Criminal Justice 2009 Authors from across the criminal justice field provide essays on topics ranging from white collar crime to international law to indigent defense. This annual publication examines and reports on the major issues, trends and significant changes in the criminal justice system. The publication serves as an invaluable resource for policy-makers, academics, and students of the criminal justice system alike. The 2009 volume contains 21 chapters focusing on specific aspects of the criminal justice field, with new addition of full text and reports of all of the adopted official ABA policies passed in 2008-2009 that address criminal justice issues. |
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Reports & Studies
State Indigent Defense Commissions (December 2006)
State and County Expenditures for Indigent Defense Services in Fiscal Year 2005 (Report ) (Table ) - December 2006
Events
Sixth Annual Summit on Indigent Defense Improvement: A National Forum for Bar and Indigent Defense Leaders
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Orlando, Florida
Frequently Requested Publications
Gideon's Broken Promise: America's Continuing Quest for Equal Justice
A report on the ABA's hearings on the right to counsel in criminal proceedings, concluding that 40 years after the Gideon decision, the promise of equal justice for the poor remains unfulfilled in this country.
ABA Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System (PDF)
The Principles constitute the fundamental criteria necessary to design a system that provides effective, efficient, high quality, ethical, conflict-free legal representation for criminal defendants who are unable to afford an attorney.







