Pennsylvania is experiencing an indigent defense crisis

You have written in the past about the lack of ethical systems for court-appointed counsel in Pennsylvania and the failure of the Gideon legacy. What is the current status, particularly in Philadelphia?

The status of court-appointed counsel and indigent defense in Pennsylvania is dismal. The only positive development was the action by the Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office joined by the American Civil Liberties Union seeking additional funding for the defender’s office. At least someone has the courage in Pennsylvania to do the right thing. The court system has failed in its responsibilities. With a statewide court system budget of less than .5 percent of the total state budget, the Pennsylvania president judges and Supreme Court justices seem to be doing triple-somersaults to cut programs instead of seeking proper funding and filing mandamus actions. History may well record that they have allowed the third branch of government to suffer serious damage by not challenging the other branches of government and requiring adequate funding to fulfill their serious and constitutional duties.