NAPD Public Resources

The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) has released a comprehensive guide to a national workload study on public defense, funded by Arnold Ventures and conducted by various legal organizations. This study establishes updated workload standards for public defenders, emphasizing the importance of effective representation under the Sixth Amendment. It offers detailed, data-driven recommendations that surpass outdated standards from 1973, revealing that current public defense workloads are even more excessive than previously understood. The findings are aligned with 17 state workload studies and underscore the need for sustainable annual casework hours, while also suggesting that jurisdictions should conduct their own studies to adapt recommendations to local practices.%0aAdditionally, the document includes links to various resources related to legal aid and public defense standards. These resources encompass a commentary on standards from 2007, a project report by the American Bar Association, a five-year plan from the New Mexico Law Office of the Public Defender, and a demand-side paper from the National Association of Public Defenders. The findings from the study aim to support budget requests and advocate for necessary staffing increases and reductions in case volumes.