MichiganRadio

State, Federal Lawmakers to Meet On Public Defense DETROIT, MI (Michigan Radio) - Legal representation for poor criminal defendants will be the subject of a pair of meetings with state and federal lawmakers in Detroit today.

Michigan's public defender system has been denounced as an abysmal failure by its critics. They say it's a hodgepodge of poorly funded programs run by each of the state's 83 counties, with no consistent standards for the attorneys who represent clients.

Members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, and its state-level counterpart, will hear testimony today on the system's shortcomings and proposed reforms.

Legislation in the state House would create a state office for trial-level indigent defense.

Advocates for change are pushing for reforms, including the creation of a state office for public defense for people who can't afford legal counsel.

Contact Sarah Hulett at sarahhu@umich.edu © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio