PSJD News Digest – March 22, 2024
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello, interested public!
Lots of news this week: the student loan servicer in charge of managing public-service-related loans will be appearing in front of a Congressional hearing, while Biden outlined new forgiveness strategies for public service workers. New York State is considering multiple right-to-counsel bills (related to immigration services and tenants’ rights). Pay for public defenders adn court appointed attorneys looks likely to improve in multiple states, but in Louisiana public defenders are are worried that controversial new changes to the state’s system for managing their work may result in pay reductions. As always, these stories and more are in the links below.
Take care,
Sam
Editor’s Choice
Student Debt and Student Loans
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Biden to cancel nearly $6B in student loans for public service workers (AP; 21 Mar 2024)
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John Oliver on student loans: ‘It’s hard to feel like this system isn’t rigged’ (The Guardian; 18 Mar 2024)
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Student Loan Trusts Subject to Consumer Protection Laws, Court Rules (US News & World Report; 19 Mar 2024)
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Student loan company MOHELA will face lawmakers on loan 'mishandling.' Here's what to know (USA Today; 18 Mar 2024)
Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring
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Congress Unveils $1.2 Trillion Plan to Fund Agencies to Sept. 30 (Bloomberg News; 21 Mar 2024)
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Once Ignored by Investors, Justice Tech Market Sees New Opportunity (LegalTech News; 15 Mar 2024)
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Striking [NY NY] Legal Services Staff ‘Hopeful’ as Contract Talks Resume (The City; 19 Mar 2024)
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Anti-DEI Lawsuits Threaten Nonprofits, Philanthropies (Nonprofit Quarterly; 19 Mar 2024)
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Unfamiliar Territory: Lawsuit Calls Mandatory Pro Bono Assignments Unconstitutional (New Jersey Law Journal; 19 Mar 2024)
Access to Justice – Civil & Economic
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NYS Tenants And Legal Workers Rally At Capitol For Right To Counsel, Seeking $260M In Budget (Harlem World; 16 Mar 2024)
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Phoenix [AZ] discusses right to counsel program for renters facing eviction (12 News; 20 Mar 2024)
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NY advocates want immigrant legal services bill passed (Public News Service; 22 Mar 2024)
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New Report: Legal Aid For NY Immigrants Could Generate Billions In Economic Gains (Harlem World; 18 Mar 2024)
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US congressional funding fights take toll on housing aid programs (Thomson Reuters; 17 Mar 2024)
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New [Los Angeles CA] legal services program to help homeless people navigate court system (City News Service; 21 Mar 2024)
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How Gen AI Tools Could Help Close The Justice Gap (Law360; 20 Mar 2024)
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Access to Innovation series: Access to innovation and justice through technology (Law Society of Ontario Gazette; 19 Mar 2024)
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Legal advocates oppose $234M funding cut from public defense [ed: actually indigent legal services fund] (Brooklyn Eagle; 22 Mar 2024)
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New York City won't offer 'right to shelter' to some immigrants after 30 days in deal with advocates (AP; 15 Mar 2024)
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NYC Public Advocate Responds To ‘Right To Shelter’ Settlement (NYC Advocate; 15 Mar 2024)
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Access to Justice – Criminal
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State [of Maine] urges judge to not add governor, attorney general to indigent defense lawsuit (Portland Press Herald; 15 Mar 2024)
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Pennsylvania Makes Historic Move Towards Equal Justice with Indigent Defense Funding (My Ches Co; 17 Mar 2024)
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Notable South Dakota jurists to help standup state-run public defenders office (The Daktoa Scout; 21 Mar 2024)
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Defense by court-appointed attorneys is a constitutional right: Iowa should pay for it [Editorial] (Des Moines Register; 21 Mar 2024)
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Kent County [MI] could replace public defender nonprofit (WoodTV; 19 Mar 2024)
Prosecutorial and Public Defense Office Hiring Crises
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More work for less pay: Spokane County [WA] prosecutors, public defender’s office struggling to recruit, retain attorneys (The Spokesman-Review; 21 Mar 2024)
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Plan to ease caseloads for Washington public defenders could 'bankrupt' some counties (King 5; 15 Mar 2024)
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Judge orders Kanawha County [WV] Public Defender's Office off city cases due to staffing (WCHS 8; 22 Mar 2024)
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Gov. Mills signs bill to fund more public defenders in Maine (News from the States; 21 Mar 2024)
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Federal Defenders Lift Hiring Freeze After Budget Raised (Bloomberg Law; 21 Mar 2024)
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Alabama House OKs pay increase for attorneys representing indigent clients (Alabama Reflector; 19 Mar 2024)
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Virginia’s court appointed attorneys could see first raise in 20 years (Radio IQ; 19 Mar 2024)
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Louisiana’s chief public defenders fear salary cut comes with Landry’s overhaul (Louisiana Illuminator; 19 Mar 2024)
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Landry’s public defender board scheduled to meet, but all members haven’t been picked (Louisiana Illuminator; 21 Mar 2024)
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Criminal Justice Reform & Counter-Reform
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Oakland’s Progressive DA Just Wants to Do Her Job. In an Age of Recalls, That Job Is Changing. (Mother Jones; 18 Mar 2024)
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County Special Public Defender retires after investigation into anti-police culture (Las Vegas Review Journal; 21 Mar 2024)
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U.S. Public Defenders Promise, at Press Briefing, to ‘Push Back’ against ‘Misleading Crime Narratives’ (The Davis Vanguard; 19 Mar 2024)
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[NY NY] Legal Aid Society analysis reveals alarming trend in NYPD misconduct payouts (Brooklyn News; 21 Mar 2024)