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    Public Defense

    The Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense (SCLAID) is working to improve public defense systems nationwide.

    Public Defense News

    News and news archives available at indigentdefense.org. Email Mark Pickett at [email protected] with news, jobs, events, or subscription requests.

    Here is the public defense news Dec 19, 2024 - Jan 10, 2025

    Save the date! The 2025 ABA Public Defense Summit will be held at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago on April 4 and 5. This will be our first hybrid summit, with both in-person and live virtual attendance options. Registration will open in the New Year, but in the meantime, please sign up to receive an update when registration becomes available. Full course details will be announced in the coming week.

    Welcome to 2025! This newsletter goes all the way back to December 19, so let’s get into it.

    National:

    Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates before Trump can resume executions

    Northwestern Law School Chicago

    Public Defense Summit Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, IL, April 4-5, 2025, Hybrid Event | CLE Credit Hrs To Be Offered

    Public defenders are increasingly being asked to do more with less. Offices face staff turnover and reduced budgets, despite new and emerging responsibilities. The changing political climate will present challenges to public defenders and their clients as well. This program will explore how the public defense community, from new defenders to seasoned administrators, can confront these issues. Connect with nationally recognized experts on substantive topics - often while fulfilling most of your annual CLE requirements. REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SOON!

    SIGN UP - TO RECEIVE REGISTRATION UPDATE

    Court Watching

    ABA Court Watching

    ABA SCLAID and CRSJ have coordinated on a number of court watching efforts. These efforts have focused on misdemeanor and other low-level criminal and civil infraction courts.

    Learn More - Courts

    Reports and Publications

    Reports and Publications on Indigent Defense

    Here you will find recent books and reports concerning indigent criminal defense, as well as links to archived materials.

    Learn More - Reports

    Events, Webinars and CLE

    Indigent Defense Events

    SCLAID regularly hosts, sponsors or co-sponsors a variety of events on topics relating to public defense or of interest to the public defense community. This page features upcoming events, meetings and CLE, as well as past events available on video.

    Explore - Events

    ABA Standards and Policies

    Standards and Policies

    View standards and policies related to public defense.

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    Subscribe to Public Defense News

    The Public Defense News is a weekly newsletter for public defenders, appointed indigent defense counsel, public defense administrators, and other people, including non-lawyers, who work in the public defense space. Subscribe and receive news updates on public defense issues from around the country, job postings, and other items of interest to public defense providers (almost) every Wednesday.

    Join - Public Defense Listserv

    Resources

    Technical Assistance

    Find information regarding technical assistance to courts, bar associations, and other entities.

    Contact - Us