Public defenders across California wore black Thursday to protest chronic underfunding, with Alameda Chief Defender Brendon Woods calling the crisis a breaking point for the Sixth Amendment as attorneys rallied on the steps of the Oakland courthouse holding torn images of Clarence Earl Gideon

Eliza Peppel · KQED · April 23, 2026

Public Defense · April 2026

Santa Cruz County Public Defenders Join Statewide Protest Demanding More Funding, Lighter Workloads

Chief Public Defender Heather Rogers says her office would need 43 more attorneys and more than double its current budget to meet national staffing standards, as the 2025 California Public Defense Workloads and Staffing Study confirms excessive caseloads burden most trial-level defenders statewide

Lookout Santa Cruz · April 23, 2026

Immigration & ICE · Policy & Law · April 2026

CA Dems to Trump Immigration Agents: Don't Apply Here

CPDA's Margo George, testifying in support: "[The bill] recognizes that individuals who have participated in or enabled unlawful enforcement and custodial practices — where cruelty and racial discrimination are not only tolerated but incentivized — should not occupy roles of public trust in California."

Lynn La · CalMatters · April 22, 2026

Public Defense · Policy & Law · April 2026

Judge Orders Some Fundraising Records Released to Probe Conflict-of-Interest Claim Against Santa Clara County DA in Stanford Vandalism Case

A judge ordered DA Jeff Rosen's campaign fundraising records turned over to the defense as Deputy Public Defender Avi Singh pursues a recusal motion in the "Stanford 5" pro-Palestinian protest case, arguing Rosen "monetized criminal prosecution" by featuring the case on his campaign website alongside donation buttons

Ryan Macasero · The Mercury News · April 21, 2026

Public Defense · April 2026

The Right to Counsel in an Age of Case-Specific and Systemic Inadequacies

With federal constitutional protections for the right to counsel potentially weakening under the current Supreme Court, a retired Iowa Supreme Court justice argues that state courts and constitutions must step up to fill the gap

Hon. Brent R. Appel · State Court Report (Brennan Center) · April 15, 2026

Public Defense · April 2026

A Shortage of Prosecutors and Public Defenders Is Causing Delays in Cases

From Indiana to Alaska to Kansas, understaffed public defender and prosecutor offices are dismissing cases, stretching attorneys past their limits.

Chloe White, Lauren Cohen, Charlotte Harvey & Logan Pierson · The Statehouse File · April 14, 2026

Immigration & ICE · April 2026

16th In-Custody ICE Death Reported as ICE Ramps Up Targeting in Los Angeles

A 49-year-old Mexican national was found unresponsive at a Louisiana detention facility as ICE operations intensified across Southern California, with agents appearing at courthouses, ISAP check-ins, and neighborhoods across the region

Izzy Ramirez & Erwin Recinos · L.A. Taco · April 14, 2026

Public Defense · April 2026

Pennsylvania's First-Ever Investment in Public Defense Allowed Offices to Hire Attorneys, Improve Case Management

Pennsylvania's $7.5 million annual investment in indigent defense is a meaningful start — but the state remains roughly 400 attorneys short of what it needs, and turnover is outpacing hiring

Danielle Ohl · Spotlight PA · April 1, 2026

Policy & Law · Prisons & Jails · March 2026

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Strikes Down Mandatory Life Sentences for Felony Murder

The state's highest court ruled that automatic life without parole sentences for felony murder violate the state constitution — affecting more than 1,000 people, two-thirds of whom are Black

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg · The Appeal · March 31, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

Public Defenders Relaunch Motions Bank to Ease Workload Pressures

A relaunched shared resource gives overextended public defenders access to pre-researched motions — a practical tool for doing more with less

James Twomey · Daily Journal · March 31, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

Spokane Public Defenders Are at a 'Critical Moment' as Homelessness Crackdown Stresses Courts and Caseloads

New state caseload standards are taking effect just as citations from Spokane's homelessness laws have driven an 8% increase in cases — putting defenders in an impossible position

Emry Dinman · The Spokesman-Review · March 30, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

Why S.F. Public Defender Mano Raju Is Justified in Refusing Cases

CPDA weighs in on the constitutional fight over caseloads and the right to effective counsel

Kate Chatfield · San Francisco Chronicle · March 24, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

SF Judge Orders Public Defender to Pay $26,000 in Contempt Fines

Public defenders from across California packed the courtroom in solidarity as the judge fined Raju $1,000 for each case his office refused to take

Ayah Ali-Ahmad · KQED · March 25, 2026

Policy & Law · March 2026

Formerly Incarcerated Women Are Pushing Systemic Change in Elected Office

From voting rights to expungement to housing, these elected officials are using their lived experience to fight the policies that put them behind bars

Victoria Law · The Appeal · March 23, 2026

Immigration & ICE · March 2026

Agents of Chaos: Border Patrol's Year of Unchecked Force

A collaboration tracking masked Border Patrol agents across Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis documents a pattern of force that courts have said likely violated the Constitution

Sergio Olmos · CalMatters · March 17, 2026

Surveillance & AI · Immigration & ICE · March 2026

After Immigration Arrests, California Lawmakers Wonder: Are Police Telling the Feds Too Much?

California votes to audit fusion centers amid concerns that local law enforcement has been sharing information with ICE in violation of state law

Khari Johnson · CalMatters · March 27, 2026

Immigration & ICE · March 2026

Virginia Is Poised to Ban ICE Contracts, Unless the Feds Agree to Obey the Law. No One Expects Them to.

Pascal Sabino & Alex Burness · Bolts · March 20, 2026

Prisons & Jails · March 2026

California Spends $300 Million Each Year Incarcerating Senior Citizens in Women's Prisons

Victoria Law · The Appeal · March 17, 2026

Policy & Law · March 2026

California arrests thousands on minor drug charges, but few get treatment

Drug users face felonies and prison under Prop 36, with analysis showing racial disparities and little help

Sam Levin · The Guardian · March 18, 2026

Policy & Law · March 2026

Prop 36 Promised Treatment. It's Delivering Incarceration.

Maureen Washburn & Emily Cosgrove · Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice · March 18, 2026

Prisons & Jails · March 2026

Judge Orders Colorado to Stop Throwing Prisoners in Solitary for Refusing to Work

Bryce Covert · Bolts · March 11, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

San Francisco Public Defender Found in Contempt After Refusing New Cases

Ayah Ali-Ahmad · KQED · March 10, 2026

Public Defense · Policy & Law · March 2026

Alameda County Public Defender Challenges Judge Over Lack of Black Jurors

A misdemeanor case has surfaced a troubling pattern in Alameda County juries, which often fail to reflect the community's diversity.

Roselyn Romero and Darwin BondGraham · Oaklandside · March 9, 2026

Prisons & Jails · March 2026

Incarcerated Women in Arizona Go on Hunger Strike for Better Conditions

Victoria Law · The Appeal · March 4, 2026

Public Defense · March 2026

Public Defender Shortage Is Leading to Hundreds of Criminal Cases Being Dismissed

The Conversation Georges Naufal & Emily Naiser · Mar 3, 2026

Reform · March 2026

Bad Omens: Reform Rollbacks in Washington D.C. Are a Warning Sign for State-Level Advocates

Federal reversals on criminal justice reform send an urgent signal to advocates working at the state level.

Prison Policy Initiative Sarah Staudt · Mar 4, 2026

Media · March 2026

CalMatters Named a Finalist in Prestigious National Magazine Awards Public Interest Category

CalMatters Sonya Quick · Mar 3, 2026

Public Defense · February 2026

Oregon must dismiss more than 1,400 criminal cases due to attorney shortage, court rules

Severe lack of public defenders has meant people charged with crimes have been routinely unable to fight their cases.

The Guardian Sam Levin · Feb 5, 2026

Immigration · February 2026

ICE-Cold Cash: Private Prison Companies and Executives Have Donated Millions to Members of Congress

Find out if your representatives have taken cash from the companies fueling ICE's mass deportation efforts.

The Appeal Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg & Ethan Corey · Feb 4, 2026

Opinion · February 2026

There is no both sides when power is unequal

Santa Barbara Independent Tracy Macuga · Feb 27, 2026

Public Defense · February 2026

Oregon public defense non-profits allowed to limit caseloads

Oregon Public Radio Holly Bartholomew · Feb 20, 2026

Immigration · February 2026

Federal judge in Riverside accuses White House of 'terror' against immigrants in US

"The threats posed by the executive branch cannot be viewed in isolation," US district judge Sunshine Sykes said in a scathing decision.

The Guardian Feb 20, 2026

Prisons · February 2026

California prisons have life-saving addiction treatment. Doctors say the parole board is undermining it.

Signing up for substance use disorder treatment in California prisons involves taking more frequent drug tests. The results, which are prone to error, can set back a prisoner's chance for freedom.

CalMatters Cayla Mihalovich · Feb 19, 2026

Criminal Justice · January 2026

Stanley Richards, criminal justice reformer and formerly incarcerated person, named as new head of NYC's Department of Corrections

Richards will lead the same Rikers Island jails where he once served time on robbery charges in the 1980s.

Gothamist David Brand · Jan 31, 2026

Crime & Safety · January 2026

California cities just saw their lowest homicide rates in decades. It's not clear why.

Homicides surged during COVID-19. Now killings are at historic lows in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and many other cities.

CalMatters Nigel Duara · Jan 26, 2026

ICE · January 2026

Senator Reyes Introduces SB 873 to Curb ICE Arrests In and Around Courthouse Grounds

Inland Empire Community News Jan 6, 2026

Public Health · January 2026

Crime rates declined over time near Toronto supervised drug consumption sites, study suggests

Study examined police data from 2014–2025 near 9 drug consumption sites in Toronto.

CBC News Artthy Thayaparan · Jan 8, 2026

Mental Health · December 2025

She goes to police calls in a Prius. It's part of a new approach to mental health emergencies.

CalMatters Cayla Mihalovich · Dec 23, 2025

Homelessness · December 2025

Cities can't punish outreach workers for helping homeless Californians under new law

CalMatters Marissa Kendall · Dec 28, 2025

Indigent Defense · December 2025

The Walmart of Public Defense: How justice gets sold to the lowest bidder in rural California

Flat-fee contracts have been banned elsewhere. But they've flourished in California.

CalMatters Anat Rubin · Dec 18, 2025

Public Defense · December 2025

Public Defenders and prosecutors warn of crisis fueled by Prop 36

"We now have the data that defines ethical workloads, new laws that have inflated caseloads, and a veto that stripped away protections." — Tracie Olson, CPDA President

Daily Journal James Twomey · Dec 1, 2025

Immigration · December 2025

New pilot program will defend LA immigrants in deportation court — a first for the county

The LA County Public Defender's Office is expanding its immigration unit to include removal defense.

LA Public Press Susana Canales Barrón · Dec 1, 2025

Courts · December 2025

Most people dread jury service, but some people never get the chance to serve

KQED Alexis Madrigal · Dec 1, 2025

Jails · November 2025

'Nauseated': S.F. supervisors demand action after alleged mass strip search of women in jail

"These women are gonna sue. They're going to win. We're going to end up paying for it." — Supervisor Myrna Melgar

Mission Local Abigail Van Neeley · Nov 21, 2025

Forensic Science · November 2025

New Jersey Bans 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' in Nationwide First

Bloomberg Law Alex Ebert · Nov 20, 2025

Public Defense · November 2025

Spokane County braces for impact of Washington's new public defender caseload limits

KREM Amanda Roley · Nov 20, 2025

Bail Reform · November 2025

New York bail reform not linked to higher recidivism

A John Jay College study finds bail reform led to fewer felony rearrests. The state's prison population has dropped nearly 50% since 2003.

News10 Johan Sheridan · Nov 17, 2025

Criminal Law · November 2025

John Oliver on the 'shocking' use of felony murder charges in the US

The host examines a charge that sends people to prison for life even if they didn't commit murder.

The Guardian Benjamin Lee · Nov 10, 2025

Immigration · November 2025

Voters ousted this Pennsylvania sheriff after he signed up to collaborate with ICE

A populous swing county replaced its sheriff months after controversy over his joining ICE's 287(g) program.

Bolts Alex Burness · Nov 10, 2025

Surveillance · October 2025

An obscure military program helps local cops buy armored cars and spyware. It might balloon under Trump.

The Intercept Matt Sledge · Oct 30, 2025

Death Penalty · October 2025

Her mentor sent Richard Glossip to Death Row. Can she give him a fair trial?

Judge Susan Stallings refuses to recuse herself despite ties to the DA's office that prosecuted Glossip.

The Intercept Liliana Segura · Oct 29, 2025

Surveillance · October 2025

LA County moves to limit license plate tracking, citing CalMatters report

CalMatters Phoebe Huss & Khari Johnson · Oct 23, 2025

Law Enforcement · October 2025

For the first time, a California county removed its sheriff over misconduct allegations

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors removed Sheriff Christina Corpus after allegations of nepotism.

CalMatters Nigel Duara · Oct 23, 2025

Public Defense · October 2025

Newsom Vetoes Legislation Aimed at Safeguarding Public Defenders' Independence

Davis Vanguard David Greenwald · Oct 14, 2025

Prop 36 · October 2025

California's Prop 36 promised 'mass treatment' for defendants. A new study shows how it's going.

The biggest study yet shows few people are finding their way into the treatment Prop 36 promised.

CalMatters Cayla Mihalovich · Oct 13, 2025

ICE · October 2025

California gave counties power to inspect ICE detention centers. They're not using it.

CalMatters Wendy Fry & Jeanne Kuang · Oct 2, 2025

Prisons · September 2025

California shrank prisons with sentencing changes. A new study shows how that's working.

CalMatters Cayla Mihalovich · Sep 23, 2025

ICE · September 2025

ICE arrest inside Oakland Courthouse blasted by public defender, other leaders

Immigration agents detained a man attending a court hearing at Wiley Manuel Courthouse.

Oaklandside Darwin BondGraham · Sep 23, 2025

ICE · September 2025

AI & Policing · August 2025

Courts · August 2025

ICE Raids In Our Courts Must Stop Now

Capitol Weekly Kate Chatfield & Brendon Woods · Aug 27, 2025

California Public Defenders Association · Newsroom · Coverage Aug 2025–Present

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