2018 Impact Report – Correcting the Crisis: Ten Years after the NLADA’s Evaluation of Michigan’s Trial-Level Indigent Defense System

Read the 2018 Impact Report at this link.

Ten years ago, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association issued its report finding that Michigan was failing to meet its constitutional mandate to provide effective counsel to indigent defendants.  The State of Michigan has taken seriously its charge to improve indigent defense services in Michigan, forming the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) to identify the path forward.  In its fourth full year of work, the MIDC continues to make tremendous progress in its goal to reform and improve the indigent criminal defense system in Michigan.

This has been a year of evolution and advancement in indigent defense. After promulgating the first four minimum standards for indigent defense in Michigan, the Commission received, reviewed and approved 134 plans for compliance with the first four standards for indigent defense in Michigan.  Many of the plans for compliance bring to fruition system-changing models that will establish a new expectation of quality representation for indigent adults in Michigan.

We successfully secured funding for implementation of the first set of standards statewide.  We held a public hearing to receive feedback on the next set of minimum standards, revised and submitted those standards for final approval to the Director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

In this next year, the Commission looks forward to supporting local systems as they begin to implement the first four standards, assessing compliance and beginning to measure the impact on indigent defense services.  As we move forward, we are committed to ensuring the integrity of the state’s indigent defense expenditures and looking for opportunities to build continuity and efficiency of local delivery of services by identifying and encouraging best practices in indigent defense.

With the growing progress toward ensuring the right to counsel for indigent defendants, Michigan is becoming a national leader in indigent defense reform.  There continues to be much work to do and the Commission stands ready.

This Impact Report is presented pursuant to the requirements of MCL §780.989(h) and §780.999, and is available on our website at http://michiganidc.gov/policies-and-reports/.

Sincerely,

Michael Puerner, Chair

Michigan Indigent Defense Commission