State of the Sixth
People want to know how the right to counsel is implemented in their state, county, or territory. Some want to know how this all works someplace else. We give you all the tools you need in this interactive map to explore. Once you have the basics down, dig deeper by expanding on our state-specific questions.
The Right to Counsel State-by-State The Right to Counsel in the Territories and D.C.
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Funding
What level of government pays for public defense?
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Administration
Who decides delivery method, attorneys, compensation, and other resources?
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Oversight
To what extent does state government set & enforce standards?
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State
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Primarily State
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Shared State and Local
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Primarily Local
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Local
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State
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Primarily State
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Shared State and Local
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Primarily Local
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Local
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Commission With Statewide Authority
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No Commission, But Statewide Authority
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Commission With Limited Authority
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No Commission and Limited Authority
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No State Oversight
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Adult Criminal Trials
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Adult Criminal Appeals
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US Territories, Freely Associated States & DC
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Juvenile Deliquency **Available Soon**
Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawaiʻi
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Northern Mariana Islands
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
US Virgin Islands
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Pacific
Atlantic
States & Territories
Dig Deeper
What is the preferred model for funding indigent defense services?
Do alternatives to state or local government funding work?
Is a public defender office the best delivery model?
Is there a best practice model for compensating private appointed counsel?
Are there best practices for creating a state oversight commission?
Does the U.S. federal government fund indigent defense services in U.S. territories?
Is there a single indigent defense delivery model used in all U.S. territories?
Is there a single manner in which the constitutional right to counsel is applicable in all U.S. territories?
How does the constitutional right to counsel apply to unincorporated U.S. territories, if at all?
Support Our Work
Criminal justice issues that disproportionately harm poor people, such as wrongful convictions and over-incarceration, cannot be fixed if indigent defendants are given attorneys who do not have the time, resources, or qualifications, to be a constitutional check on government. Yet, investment in improving indigent defense services remains largely neglected. The Sixth Amendment Center is the only nonprofit organization in the country that exclusively examines, uncovers, and helps fix the root of the indigent defense crisis in which inequality is perpetuated because poor defendants do not get a fair fight.
The Sixth Amendment Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under EIN: 45-3477185.
Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.