Who We Are
Defending Justice, Transforming Lives
The National Association of Public Defenders unites 25,000+ advocates committed to ensuring every person has access to quality legal representation.
Advancing Justice Through Collective Action
The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) engages all public defense professionals into a clear and focused voice to address the systemic failure to provide the constitutional right to counsel, and to collaborate with diverse partners for solutions that bring meaningful access to justice for poor people.
In 2013, fifty years after the United States Supreme Court recognized the right to counsel as “fundamental and necessary,” NAPD formed an inclusive association of public defense practitioners to address the tragedy of the unfulfilled promise of fairness in America’s criminal courts. Through affordable dues, relevant benefits and accessible real-life expertise, NAPD unites 25,000+ practitioner-members across the country into a cohesive and irrepressible community capable of bringing justice to a broken system.
Guiding Principles of Public Defense
These 15 principles define our commitment to justice and guide our advocacy for meaningful
reform in the criminal justice system.
1. Competent and Effective Public Defense Lawyers Must Be Provided for the Fair Administration of Justice
2. Public Defense Must Be Independent of Judicial and Political Control
3. The Public Defense Function Must Be Administered and Overseen Statewide
4. The Expense of the Criminal Justice System Is a Government Obligation That Must Not Be Imposed on Defendants
5. Workloads of Defense Attorneys Must Always Be Reasonable
6. Training and Continuing Education Are Essential for Providing Competent and Effective Defense Representation
7. Appropriate Supervision of All Public Defense Lawyers and Other Public Defense Professionals Is Essential
8. Public Defense Representation Should Be Client Centered and Holistic
9. The Duty of Public Defense Lawyers Is to Provide Clients Quality Legal Representation Consistent with Rules of Professional Conduct and Prevailing Professional Norms
10. Public Defense Providers Must Seek to Change the Pervasive Cultural Prejudice that Stigmatizes and Marginalizes Poor People
11. Competent and Effective Defense Representation Is Necessary to Eliminate Mass Incarceration
12. Public Defense Providers Must Address Disparate Treatment of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Justice Systems
13. The Use of Punitive Measures Against Persons Who Have Mental Disorders or Other Types of Cognitive Impairments Must End
14. Public Defense Lawyers and Public Defense Professionals Are Essential Participants in Achieving Justice Reforms
15. Unity and Collaboration of Public Defenders and Public Defense Professionals Are Essential in Achieving Defense Reforms
Guided by Experience
Our leadership team brings decades of public defense experience, guiding NAPD's mission to transform advocacy and support defenders nationwide.
Committed to Accountability
We believe in transparency and accountability to our members and the communities we serve. Our annual reports detail our programs, impact, and financial stewardship.