The right to counsel, embodied in the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, is the primary safeguard of a defendant’s rights within the criminal justice system. Adequate representation ensures that all other rights – to be free from unlawful search and seizure, against self-incrimination, to confront witnesses, to a jury trial, etcetera – are protected. In 1963, the United States Supreme Court, in Gideon v. Wainwright, made clear that the right to counsel applies to every citizen, regardless of whether the defendants can afford to pay an attorney. Sadly, in the United States today, the right to counsel is not being enforced. Lack of standards, oversight and funding have led thousands of people to be processed without their right to counsel.
NACDL is committed to ensuring quality representation for all accused individuals and has set out to help reform inadequate state and local indigent defense systems through technical assistance, public education, advocacy, and litigation.
News of Interest
"Orleans Parish public defenders' office in crisis: An editorial," Nola.com, February 6, 2012.
"Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the American Bar Association’s National Summit on Indigent Defense," Department of Justice, February 6, 2012.
"Eric Holder Announces $2.4M in Grants to Help Improve Indigent Criminal Defense Services," ABA Journal, February 4, 2012.
"Maryland public defender asks for stay in high court's ruling," The Baltimore Sun, February 2, 2012.
"House panel passes public defender funding measure," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 1, 2012.
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