Gideon's Promise

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Gideon's Promise Our mission is to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities.

The greatest civil and human rights abuses of our time continue in the American criminal justice system. Without the meaningful right to counsel, all other rights are left unrealized and the promise of equal justice is left unfulfilled.

Applications for the CORE 101 Class of 2027 are open through October 24.Ready to take the next step? Apply through the l...
10/07/2026

Applications for the CORE 101 Class of 2027 are open through October 24.

Ready to take the next step? Apply through the link in our bio.

Know someone who should be part of the next class? Share this with them.

CORE 101 is a three-year journey for public defenders early in their careers to grow as client-centered advocates, deepe...
10/06/2026

CORE 101 is a three-year journey for public defenders early in their careers to grow as client-centered advocates, deepen their practice, and build a lasting community.

But it’s about more than professional growth. CORE 101 connects the practice of public defense to the larger work of advancing equal access to justice and creating meaningful change for clients and communities.

Applications for the CORE 101 Class of 2027 are open through October 24.

Scholarships are available, and you can request one through the same application.

Apply through the link in our bio.

Gideon’s Promise co-founder Jonathan Rapping will be featured in Seattle University School of Law’s Dean’s Luminaries in...
10/06/2026

Gideon’s Promise co-founder Jonathan Rapping will be featured in Seattle University School of Law’s Dean’s Luminaries in Law Series on October 8.

As a lawyer, educator, and longtime advocate for public defense, Jonathan has spent his career exploring what it takes to build a more client-centered approach to defense and develop the people who carry that work forward.

We’re proud to see his voice continuing to be part of conversations about the future of public defense and equal access to justice.

📍 Seattle, WA
📅 October 8

Partners in the Good Fight: Civil Rights CorpsThe criminal legal system affects more than the person behind the jail doo...
10/05/2026

Partners in the Good Fight: Civil Rights Corps

The criminal legal system affects more than the person behind the jail door. It affects their families, too.

Civil Rights Corps’ Right 2 Hug Project is challenging jail policies that prevent children from having contact visits with their incarcerated parents.

As 15-year-old plaintiff BaKari Jacoby Etter shared:

“Ever since my dad went to jail, I haven’t been able to hug him, touch him, or be in the same room with him.”

We’re proud to highlight organizations working to ensure that the pursuit of justice does not come at the cost of dignity or family connection.

At the heart of public defense is a simple principle: center the people we serve.Recently, Gideon’s Promise co-founder J...
10/03/2026

At the heart of public defense is a simple principle: center the people we serve.
Recently, Gideon’s Promise co-founder Jonathan Rapping joined the North Carolina defense community to celebrate 25 years of the Fair Trial Initiative, which recruits and trains the next generation of capital defenders.

In his remarks, Jon reflected on the importance of staying true to the people we serve, even within systems that can be indifferent to the people whose lives they impact.

That commitment is at the heart of Gideon’s Promise. Through training, mentorship, and community, we work to inspire lawyers to stay grounded in their clients’ humanity and committed to the ideals that brought them to public defense in the first place.

Jon also recognized the lawyers, mitigation specialists, and advocates in North Carolina who continue to model this commitment for those who come after them.
The people we serve deserve nothing less.

Today is Wrongful Conviction Day.Fred Steese spent nearly 21 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. A Nevada co...
10/03/2026

Today is Wrongful Conviction Day.

Fred Steese spent nearly 21 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. A Nevada court declared him actually innocent in 2012, and he was released in 2013. In 2017, he received a full pardon based on his innocence.

This August, Fred died of cancer at 62.

After losing nearly two decades to a wrongful conviction, he had far too little time to enjoy the freedom he fought so hard to regain.

Fred’s story is a reminder of why zealous, client-centered defense matters. Everyone deserves meaningful access to justice and an advocate who will fight for them.

Sources: National Registry of Exonerations; ProPublica, September 9, 2026.

What does a public defender need to advocate well?Time. Resources. Support.A new RAND study of the Los Angeles County Pu...
10/02/2026

What does a public defender need to advocate well?

Time. Resources. Support.

A new RAND study of the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office found that gaps in support staff can pull attorneys away from legal work, leaving them to take on administrative and case-support tasks themselves.

When defenders have the capacity to focus on their clients, everyone benefits.
That’s why supporting defenders means more than training. It means giving them the tools, resources, and support to provide the client-centered representation every person deserves.

Source: RAND, Los Angeles County Public Defender Attorney Workload Study, Sept. 10, 2026.

Learn it. Teach it. Carry it forward.The Trainer Development Program equips experienced public defenders and leaders to ...
09/30/2026

Learn it. Teach it. Carry it forward.

The Trainer Development Program equips experienced public defenders and leaders to become the trainers, mentors, and facilitators who will shape what comes next.

Registration closes on October 3. Get in before it is too late and be a part of the movement. Link in Bio.

What kind of defender do you want to become?CORE 101 is a three-year journey for public defenders committed to becoming ...
09/28/2026

What kind of defender do you want to become?

CORE 101 is a three-year journey for public defenders committed to becoming the defender their clients deserve.

Through immersive learning, hands-on advocacy, reflection, and a community of peers and mentors, CORE 101 helps defenders build the skills, relationships, and purpose to carry client-centered defense throughout their careers.

Applications for the CORE 101 Class of 2027 are open. Apply by October 17. Link in bio.

Equal justice begins with access to a lawyer.A recent MassLive report on Massachusetts’ public defense crisis is a remin...
09/25/2026

Equal justice begins with access to a lawyer.

A recent MassLive report on Massachusetts’ public defense crisis is a reminder that the right to counsel only matters when people can actually access it.

And access is just the beginning. Public defenders need the training, support, and resources to be the strongest advocates they can be for their clients.

That’s part of the work of Gideon’s Promise: supporting defenders in providing the client-centered, zealous representation every person deserves.

Source: MassLive, Sept. 14, 2026.

Address

245 Peachtree Center Avenue NE Suite 1900
Atlanta, GA
30303

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14045254505

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