public defenders

Marion County’s public defender office is struggling to fill long-vacant positions as a bill moving through the Indiana Statehouse seeks to ease residency requirements.

Leaders from the commission gave their two-year budget presentation to the House Ways & Means Committee Wednesday morning.

The recommendations come after multiple reports pointed to systematic problems in the way Indiana provides legal representation to those who can't afford an attorney.

Attorneys filed the class action lawsuit in 2015 on behalf of seven people facing criminal charges in Johnson County.

Attorney Jonathan Little says Johnson County's system of judges choosing public defenders is unfair to poor defendants.

The Sixth Amendment guarantees citizens the right to representation if accused of a crime. The constitutional protection is meant to ensure everyone gets a defense, regardless of their ability to pay. But, some legal experts say the phrase "justice for all" may be more accurately described as justice for few.

Part one of the Justice For All series: A lawsuit alleges Johnson County isn't meeting its obligation to provide adequate representation.

Part two of the Justice For All series:An Allen County woman says her public defender provided no defense during her trial. She's now part of a lawsuit suing the county.

Part three of the Justice For All? series: Indiana could look to neighboring states like Kentucky for ideas on how to change its public defense system.

The request comes after a report released earlier this year called Indiana's system underfunded and unconstitutional.