Indigent 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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From Budget Chaos to Public Defenders: Mississippi Poised to Fund ‘Day 1’ Experiment

Indigent felony defendants in many counties have lacked court-appointed lawyers before indictment, even while they sat in jails for weeks or months.

Jackson • 06.12.2025

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

If You Can’t Afford an Attorney, One Will Be Appointed. And You May Get a Huge Bill

In Iowa, people too poor to pay for a lawyer are on the hook for big fees they can’t afford.

Feature • 02.12.2024

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