Stay connected with the latest from NAPD leadership and the broader public defense community. Here you’ll find announcements, event recaps, court summaries, educational resources, and member-submitted commentary and opinion pieces.
The 2023 National Public Defense Workload Study (NPDWS) produced evidence-based standards to help public defense providers determine whether they have enough attorneys to provide each
What Just Happened On December 4, 2025, NPR reportedly obtained an internal DOJ memo instructing inspectors to cease evaluating prisons and jails in the US
In recognition of Veterans Day, below are insights from NAPD’s own Wellbeing Resource Coordinator and military veteran, Corey Smith, on how to better identify and
By: Scott Levy and Alice Fontier In late August, President Trump issued an executive order purporting to “take steps to end cashless bail to protect
You Have the Right to an Attorney. But in Texas, Don’t Count on It. In some parts of the state, misdemeanor defendants routinely face charges
NAPD has joined coalitions around two bills related to municipal courts in Colorado. NAPD Supports HB25-1147: Fairness & Transparency in Municipal Court From the Colorado
Two national defense organizations, including a representative of the private bar, have asked New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to rescind a proposal that aims to
An opinion piece by Josh Perry On June 20th the Supreme Court struck down some extra-textual barriers to civil suits for retaliatory arrest and malicious
Since its founding ten years ago, NAPD has been a leading national voice on reducing public defense workloads. In light of new research and developments
Lori James-Townes, NAPD Executive Director, delivered the following remarks at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender’s Gideon Day celebration in Annapolis on March 18,
Unveiling the Harsh Reality Behind Bars: Inadequate Healthcare and Addiction Treatment In our nation’s penitentiaries, a travesty is unfolding; people with critical health needs find
