Public Defenders Do It Better

Tyler Cowen draws attention to a report that shows that public defenders provide better representation than court-appointed lawyers.  I'm not surprised by this at all.

Comments

[Moe Levine]

given that about 99% of federal cases are now disposed of by guilty plea, and, at least in our district the PDs always get the most ideal candidate for cooperation and departure while panel attorneys draw the heavy lifting . . .

[William]

About your comment on P/D's providing a better representation than a private attorney. From what I have heard is that the P.D. will work with the D.A. in some cases depending on the case. They are all state working and also paid by the state. Who knows,but I am sure they all become known to one another and eventually become friends. Who knows what better to have a friendly competition with a friend when its not your ass on the line. I thimk representation depends on the money you have to dump into a case. For instance O.J. Simpson had the money to provide himself with the best of the best. Michael Jackson paid his way out. What parent would be paid off. They could have prosecuted and then sued him in civil court. Or like a person like me who has no money and got into a conflict with lets say a major corporation that well known and better off because of there financial status is B/S. They could probably get away with attempted murder I am sure more than once. I regards to your comment it is always about money and power and reputation plays a small part as well. But you get what you pay for right.

[William]

I am looking for any info on the term, "an eye for an eye". Mostly being used as a legal term or if it was ever used by law for law to construct law or to investigate law.

[Mahan Atma]

"...in our district the PDs always get the most ideal candidate for cooperation and departure while panel attorneys draw the heavy lifting..."

The study, which is extremely well-done, was limited to districts where the defendant is randomly assigned to either the PD or a CJA attorney.

[S.cotus]

I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding (amongst non-lawyers) about the different mechanisms (and combinations thereof) of appointing counsel.

[moe levine]

randomly assigned . . .

there are no such districts

FDPs are assigned before formal charges are filed in all districts, even before or just after arrest

it all depends on nature of case, but when the gov't has a cooperating witness needing a lawyer the FDP gets the job, not a panel attorney