PSJD News Digest – April 5, 2024
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello, interested public!
Nice to be with you again, after a bout with bronchitis. I’m back with a Digest that isn’t our longest ever but is truly packed with major news. The biggest items are in “Editor’s Choices” section, but I highly you look over the headlines in each section this week.
Take care,
Sam
Editor’s Choice(s)
-
Student-loan borrowers in public service are facing a key change starting in May — and it'll mean delays in their debt cancellation progress (Business Insider; 3 Apr 2024)
-
Congress Poised to Prevent One Form of Student Debt Relief (The American Prospect; 5 Apr 2024)
-
Government Lawyers, Particularly at DOJ, Are 'Flooding' the Job Market (National Law Journal; 4 Apr 2024)
-
NYC's AI chatbot was caught telling businesses to break the law. The city isn't taking it down (NY1; 3 Apr 2024)
Student Debt and Student Loans
-
Student loan forgiveness for public service workers to take brief pause (Ed Source; 2 Apr 2024)
-
Kansas, other Republican states sue Biden over student loan forgiveness (UPI; 29 Mar 2024)
-
Why student loan forgiveness remains a key issue for the Biden campaign even after Supreme Court loss (News Chan. 12-3-11; 30 Mar 2024)
-
N.Y. Sen. Gillibrand wants to continue federal student loan forgiveness; here’s her plan (Staten Island Live; 3 Apr 2024)
Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring
-
You’re hiring a summer intern … what about payment? (Virginia Lawyers Weekly; 2 Apr 2024)
-
Lawyers Can Expand Access to Justice by Seeding Global Pro Bono (Bloomberg Law; 5 Apr 2024)
-
Iowa gender balance law's repeal ends unconstitutional discrimination in public service (Des Moines Register; 4 Apr 2024)
-
The positive impact of policy entrepreneurs in the public service (Government Executive; 5 Apr 2024)
-
Are U.S. courts delivering on language access? (JD Supra; 2 Apr 2024)
-
The federal government will now offer its employees generous fertility benefits (Government Executive; 3 Apr 2024)
-
CT commission may begin decision-making on future of chief public defender put on leave (CT Insider; 3 Apr 2024)
Access to Justice – Civil & Economic
-
[Oklahoma County] Tenant Advocates Push for Right to Free Counsel (Oklahoma Watch; 1 Apr 2024)
-
This App Helps Immigrants Reclaim Their Stolen Wages (Triple Pundit; 1 Apr 2024)
-
Post-Disaster Legal Aid Funding Fills a Growing Need — And Could Help Shore Up Democracy (Inside Philanthropy; 1 Apr 2024)
-
Legal Aid Ontario releases report on its racialized communities strategy action plan (1 Apr 2024)
-
Lawyers, judges, nonprofit leaders address access to justice for children, parents at ABA conferences (ABA; 2 Apr 2024)
-
Thousands of Immigrants in Wisconsin in Court Without Lawyers (Urban Milwaukee; 24 Mar 2024)
Access to Justice – Criminal
-
Sixth Amendment Center Launches New Right to Counsel Interactive Website (PR Newswire; 25 Mar 2024)
-
New Leader Discusses The Next Era For NY Federal Defenders (Law360; 4 Apr 2024)
-
Maine needs significant action to address shortage of legal representation (Bangor Daily News; 2 Apr 2024)
-
This chart shows how bad Maine's indigent defense system has gotten (Bangor Daily News; 25 Mar 2024)
-
-
ABA criminal justice and legal aid sections launch Task Force for Public Defense Independence (ABA; 26 Mar 2024)
-
Hennepin County [MN] public defender concerned clients will miss court appearances without rideshare (Star Tribune; 3 Apr 2024)
Prosecutorial and Public Defense Office Hiring Crises
-
Hillsdale County [MI] Board of Commissioners narrowly approve public defender budget (Hillsdale Daily News; 30 Mar 2024)
-
Two-month wait for public defenders as Yakima County attorney shortage grows worse (Yakima Herald-Republic; 5 Apr 2024)
-
CNN's Tapper draws national focus to Philadelphia defendant's story to advocate for better pay for court-appointed lawyers (KYW News Radio; 24 Mar 2024)
Criminal Justice Reform & Counter-Reform
-
'Every DA… Should Follow Suit': Prosecutor Seeks to Commute County Death Sentences (Common Dreams; 4 Apr 2024)
-
El Paso public defender waives migrants' bond hearings to avert federal custody transfer (KFox TV; 1 Apr 2024)
-
In a shift, [Oswego County NY] public defender insists on preliminary hearings for defendants (Oswego County News Now; 3 Apr 2024)
-
LA Public Defender CIO digitizes to divert people to programs, not prison (CIO Case Study; 4 Apr 2024)
-
[LA Gov.] Landry’s new public defense system takes effect this week with few details about new board (The Illuminator; 25 Mar 2024)