{"id":4701,"date":"2004-02-03T20:59:02","date_gmt":"2004-02-04T00:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2004\/02\/03\/too-many-assigned-counsel-jus"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:59:04","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:59:04","slug":"too-many-assigned-counsel-just-dont-give-a-damn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2004\/02\/03\/too-many-assigned-counsel-just-dont-give-a-damn\/","title":{"rendered":"Too Many Assigned Counsel Just Don&#8217;t Give a Damn"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a title=\"a712\" name=\"a712\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/you.jpg\" alt=\"you!\" \/> . . <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">This time, the study targets Virginia, decrying rampant substandard legal services given to the poor by assigned counsel.   Citing and summarizing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.abanet.org\/legalservices\/downloads\/sclaid\/indigentdefense\/va-report2004.pdf\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">A Comprehensive Review of Indigent Defense in Virginia<\/span><\/a>, <em>The Richmond <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timesdispatch.com\/servlet\/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&amp;c=MGArticle&amp;cid=1031773431892&amp;path=%21news&amp;s=1045855934842\"><em>Times Dispatch<\/em><\/a> headline screams &#8220;Study finds &#8216;attorneys do the bare minimum, and often less&#8217; for poor&#8221; (by Alan Cooper, 02-02-04).  (thanks to <a href=\"http:\/\/swvalaw.blogspot.com\/2004_02_01_swvalaw_archive.html#107576406614154606\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">SW Va Law Blog<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"> for pointing to the article) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">Note: Public defenders are salaried employees; assigned counsel are appointed by judges on a per-case basis.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">The <em>Times Dispatch<\/em> article reported that 80 attorneys each handled at least 400 assigned counsel cases last year, and that &#8220;Many of those lawyers are sole practitioners supported only by a secretary and voice mail.&#8221;  [Of course, some don&#8217;t have a secretary.]  The article quotes the Report as saying:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;Public defenders and assigned counsel simply do not have the time or energy to spend to try to change the status quo, nor do many even realize how low the status quo is in Virginia. The result is a culture of acquiescence . . . <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;There is no question that attorneys who are juggling four, five, eight defendants in one morning, and hoping to plead them out that day, are doing virtually nothing for their individual clients.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;Utilization of an expert requires time and effort: research must be done in order that an expert will be useful, a motion for an expert must be prepared and argued, and if approved, an expert must be located and time will be spent working with the expert. &#8220;Many court-appointed lawyers in Virginia never put this sort of effort into their cases.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">Two years ago, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.courts.state.ny.us\/press\/old_keep\/1ad-rep-poor.shtml\">New York study<\/a> found:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;Notwithstanding the valiant efforts of many lawyers, too many of New York City&#8217;s poor are receiving <strong>thoroughly inadequate legal representation<\/strong> in such important court proceedings as those relating to child custody and visitation, child abuse and neglect, termination of parental rights, domestic violence, and criminal prosecution, often with serious adverse consequences.&#8221;<span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;The outmoded, underfunded, overburdened, and organizationally chaotic system in operation today dishonors New York&#8217;s long-standing commitment to an individual&#8217;s right to meaningful and effective representation, often with devastating effects on the thousands of children and indigent adults who pass through that system each year.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>In 1997, an ABA study discovered that \u201cIn child abuse and neglect cases, the legal representation of parents, children, and child protection agencies is often seriously deficient,\u201d with many lawyers apparently not understanding that \u201cdiligent representation\u201d included obligations such as \u201cto meet with clients well in advance of each substantive hearing, to investigate disputed facts, and to be present in court.\u201d (See American Bar Association President N. Lee Cooper\u2019s Challenge to State and Local Bar Organizations on \u201cImproving Legal Representation in Cases Involving Children, Youth and Families\u201d February 1997; and take a look <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nysda.org\/Defense_Services\/defense_services.html\">here<\/a> for more studies with similar sad conclusions.)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">I agree that lack of money is an important source of the problem in the programs established to provide legal representation to the poor across this nation.  And, I readily acknowledge that there are a large cadre of assigned counsel who care deeply and provide excellent service under impossible conditions (I tried to be one of them).  Many others provide uninspired but fairly competent legal representation.  But (and I know I&#8217;m going to anger a lot of folks), this much seems clear to me after years observing and participating in the assigned counsel system:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; many assigned counsel make no meaningful effort to provide meaningful, diligent representation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; a very large percentage take assigned cases solely because they have no other sources for clients<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; they have no other sources because they do not have the respect of their colleagues, judges, or former clients<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; they are unlikely to work harder if pay levels are increased, and may even do less per case<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; local bar associations often oppose creating better-organized, and more effective institutional entities to provide legal services to the poor, because private practice attorneys fear losing the work, despite all their cries of being scandalously underpayed<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; disciplinary committees totally avoid these issues of competence and diligence<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">&#8211; the mainstream bar holds its nose and pretends the ne&#8217;er do wells don&#8217;t exist<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">What percentage of assigned counsel fit my very negative picture?   Of course, I can&#8217;t say for sure, but it&#8217;s certainly at least 20%, and probably a significantly larger figure.  Too damn many of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">The public doesn&#8217;t want to pay more to improve this system.  Responsible lawyers need to act to assure more funding and better organization.  They also need to take some of these cases.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>Postnote <\/strong>(02-04-04)<\/span><\/em>:  <a href=\"http:\/\/crimlaw.blogspot.com\/#107589849520356264\">Ken Lammers at CrimLaw<\/a> offers some practical suggestions for improving indigent representation in Virginia this morning.  Put Ken in the column of assigned counsel who care.<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>Postnote <\/strong>(02-05-04)<\/span><\/em>:  <a href=\"http:\/\/myshingle.com\/article.pl?sid=04\/02\/05\/197253\">Carolyn Elefant at MyShingle<\/a> has quite a bit to say today about assigned counsel pay and how to improve the system.<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>Postnote <\/strong>(09-04-04)<\/span><\/em>:  <span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><strong>David Feige<\/strong> has a thoughtful <span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\">column at Slate: &#8220;<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/Default.aspx?id=2106248&amp;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><strong><span style=\"color: #2294bc\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Public Offenders&#8217;:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/Default.aspx?id=2106248&amp;\">Why criminals in Massachusetts are getting out of jail free<\/a>.&#8221;  He says only a comprehensive public defender system, not one relying so heavily on <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">assigned counsel will provide adequate service.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>Postnote<\/strong><\/span><\/em><em> (Jan. 31, 2006)<\/em>:\u00a0 See our post &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/01\/31\/nys-chief-judge-wants-a-statewide-public-defender-system\/\">NYS Chief Judge wants statewide public defender system<\/a>,&#8221; and the 2005 ABA report on indigent defense, <span><span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.abanet.org\/legalservices\/sclaid\/defender\/brokenpromise\/downloads\/ma.pdf\"><em><span style=\"color: black\">Gideon\u2019s Broken Promise<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>, which states that national standards for indigent defense favor fulltime public defenders, whenever the population and caseload can support them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>. . This time, the study targets Virginia, decrying rampant substandard legal services given to the poor by assigned counsel. Citing and summarizing A Comprehensive Review of Indigent Defense in Virginia, The Richmond Times Dispatch headline screams &#8220;Study finds &#8216;attorneys do the bare minimum, and often less&#8217; for poor&#8221; (by Alan Cooper, 02-02-04). (thanks to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3513,900],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lawyer-news-or-ethics","category-viewpoint"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-1dP","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4701"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14001,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4701\/revisions\/14001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}