Free Justice: A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America
Mayeux, "Free Justice: A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America "
English | ISBN: 1469661659 | 2020 | 286 pages | EPUB | 666 KB
English | ISBN: 1469661659 | 2020 | 286 pages | EPUB | 666 KB
Every day, in courtrooms around the United States, thousands of criminal defendants are represented by public defenders–lawyers provided by the government for those who cannot afford private counsel. Though often taken for granted, the modern American public defender has a surprisingly contentious history–one that offers insights not only about the "carceral state," but also about the contours and compromises of twentieth-century liberalism.
First gaining appeal amidst the Progressive Era fervor for court reform, the public defender idea was swiftly quashed by elite corporate lawyers who believed the legal profession should remain independent from the state. Public defenders took hold in some localities but not yet as a nationwide standard. By the 1960s, views had shifted.
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