Pleading the Sixth: In a new lawsuit, the ACLU of Washington alleges that the right to counsel system for juveniles facing delinquency proceedings in Grays Harbor is so constitutionally deficient that the State of Washington must take action.
Tag: litigation – systemic
A Cronic resolve to America’s chronic right to counsel deficiencies
Pleading the Sixth: On September 28, 2016, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that indigent defendants have a right to challenge systemic deficiencies at the outset of a case before having to suffer from actual or constructive denial of counsel. [Click…
Pennsylvania Supreme Court recognizes indigent defendants’ right to sue before receiving ineffective representation
Pleading the Sixth: On September 28, 2016, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that indigent defendants have the right to challenge systemic deficiencies at the outset of a case before having to suffer from actual or constructive denial of counsel. Moreover, the…
ACLU sues Idaho; statutory changes too slow to implement
Pleading the Sixth: One June 17, 2015 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Idaho for failing to ensure a meaningful right to counsel. Wait a minute… didn’t the State of Idaho…
Georgia consent decree requires competent counsel for children and adults
The right to counsel for children and adults in four counties in Georgia should soon be much closer to meeting minimum constitutional demands. The structural changes will come about as the result of a class action lawsuit challenging the effectiveness…
US DOJ enters Statement of Interest in NYCLU class action lawsuit
Pleading the Sixth: The U.S. Department of Justice entered a Statement of Interest in a class action lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union alleging egregious Sixth Amendment violations in that state. Importantly, the Statement denotes DOJ’s position…
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