After creating a state office to handle criminal appeals by people who can’t afford an attorney, the next step is extending that help to the trial court level, South Dakota’s top judge said.

More than a half dozen attorneys who handle criminal cases in Wayne County for people who cannot afford their own attorneys said they are not getting paid in a timely manner for the work they do, at times waiting months for checks. The delay in getting…

MDefenders is a faculty-sponsored student organization as well as a network of courses, programming, and resources that support public defense education at Michigan Law and beyond. Founded in 2014, MD...

Panhandle Area Regional Public Defender representative Jason reported a $341,804 Texas Indigent Defense Commission grant to offset county contributions to regional public defense; Potter County’s portion estimated at just over $130,000. The court approved acceptance and authorized signature (4–0).

Advocates, the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and MAC leaders told Bexar County Commissioners Court the Managed Assigned Counsel program is delivering oversight, training and mental-health supports and urged moving its FY27 funding from contingency into the general fund to avoid service disruptions.

County staff briefed council on Washington State Supreme Court–mandated indigent defense caseload standards, the weighting rubric drawn from the 2024 Washington State Bar Association guidance, and director discretion to adjust weights after case review.

The county attorney presented a draft interlocal agreement to rejoin the regional public defender office for capital cases, described it as an insurance policy against large defense costs, and cited an annual figure he had seen ($21,001.82); he recommended further review because some cost details were not included in the draft.

OTPD leaders told senators that salary gaps have driven attorney departures, that the office is pursuing recruitment at HBCU law schools and that IT, evidence‑review tools and facility upgrades are essential to meet case complexity.

Senator Barnes secures support for additional funding to enhance indigent defense services in Guam.

Senate approves bill to enhance legal representation for Guam's indigent population.

The board approved the action agenda package including warrants totaling several million dollars, the appointment of Virginia Feldman to the Historic Preservation Commission, authorization of a $6,000 vacant land sale, setting a public hearing for Feb. 17, 2026, and a letter to Gov. Bob Ferguson raising concern about indigent defense costs.

City manager and finance staff told council the Edgewater Park grant package can move forward; council signaled support to accept grants and start design work. Members also discussed implementing the states 0.1% criminal-justice sales-tax option to offset rising indigent defense costs required by recent state court decisions.

Washington establishes civil arbitration fees and exemptions for law enforcement records requests

The countys public defender said the office handled more than 31,000 cases in 2024 and highlighted increased representation for parents and juveniles, major growth in record-sealing work, and that the state reimburses roughly 82% of indigent-defense costs so the countys net share is about 18%. The office accepted the executives recommended bienn

LD 21‑94 was advanced with amendments to clarify which court‑appointed attorneys PDS must evaluate and compensate: emancipation petitions, child‑protection counsel for children and parents, yellow/red flag hearings, involuntary commitment/treatment, and Fifth Amendment counsel limited to indigent nonparty witnesses in listed case types. The committee asked staff to draft technical language and to obtain a fiscal note.

Commissioners approved a deficit-elimination plan addressing a projected shortfall in indigent defense funding; staff said the current grant agreement provides $964,640.90 with a required local match of $237,683 and that the county expects an additional $400,000–$500,000 of expenditures and has requested a formal amendment from the state to 'make us whole.'

The Houghton County Board of Commissioners voted May 29 to authorize multiple payments to Tri County Public Defenders, appoint an ad hoc committee to review the TCPD contract after MDIC requested records back to 2018, and retain a consultant to prepare financial reports.

Presiding juvenile court judge Leslie Miller Terry asked the county for an increase to indigent defense funding to comply with OCGA requirements and to hire courtroom-dedicated attorneys and pro tem judges, while also seeking resources to expand family treatment courts and behavioral health services.

The Georgia Public Defender Council requested amended FY26 funds to continue conflict-counsel contracts (previously augmented by ARPA), asked to begin a new APD pay scale Jan.1 (half-year cost quoted ~ $4.15 million) and described programmatic supports like the Ladders youth program. Committee members pressed for jurisdictional breakdowns and clearer monthly and per-case spending figures.

Commissioners approved a program resolution to accept funding for a Tri‑County Public Defenders Office and discussed where to provide office space. County leaders clarified that the public defender office is distinct from the district attorneys office, that the grant covers the majority of the public defender budget, and that Dimmit Countys cost

Indigent defense cases show almost 10,000 felonies processed with 97% handled by private attorneys.

Council debates financial support adjustments for San Vicente amidst dwindling student enrollment.