Public Defense | The Marshall Project

What are records? Since 2014, The Marshall Project has been curating some of the best criminal justice reporting from around the web. In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the criminal justice conversation. The Marshall Project does not endorse the viewpoints or vouch for the accuracy of reports other than its own.

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Iowa’s Top Court Ended Court Fees in Dismissed Cases. Politicians Want Them Back

The state can no longer saddle defendants with court fees when charges are dismissed. Prosecutors are backing legislation to restore them.

News • 02.13.2026

‘Hold People Accountable’: Why Mississippi Courts Must Now Produce Public Defense Plans

The state Supreme Court wants to know how local courts provide lawyers, if any, to poor people after their arrest.

Jackson • 07.02.2025

Mississippi Lawmakers Considered Modest Public Defense Reforms. They Rejected All of Them.

With its refusal to impose oversight or consistent standards in local defense, Mississippi risks falling further behind the rest of the U.S., critics say.

Jackson • 05.02.2024

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