Menu
Close
Effective defense counsel is absolutely necessary for our criminal justice system to function properly. We support efforts to ensure that all accused persons, including those who cannot afford to pay, have an independent and effective voice in their corner.
Our current work focuses mostly on the many procedural hurdles to the effective assistance of counsel that exist.
Due Process Institute supports the right to effective legal representation at every stage of the criminal process. This includes strengthening public defense systems and ensuring adequate funding and resources.
Learn about Due Process Institute’s policy work to support defense counsel.
Discover how Due Process Institute advocates in the courts for the right to counsel.
Interested in learning about the right to counsel and why it matters?
The House and Senate Appropriations Committee announced massive cuts to the Federal and Community Defenders budget for Fiscal Year 2024. However, after months of advocacy and lobbying by Due Process Institute and others, the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill passed with a $68 million funding increase over the originally proposed budget for federal defenders. With 90% percent of people who come into contact with the federal criminal justice system represented by public defenders, it is vital to adequately fund public defenders in order to ensure the integrity of the Sixth Amendment. We also wrote a blog for Public Defense Day that overviews Supreme Court access to counsel cases and the impact of Congress underfunding public defense services.