Friends To The Indigent

04/16/2026

Something to read and consider.

The split decision reversed a second-degree murder conviction and determined that if law enforcement officers want to obtain private cellphone information from Google, they need a warrant.

03/05/2026

An ongoing crisis. People sitting in jail without a lawyer should be unheard of here in our country. If we truly want to ensure justice to all we have to commit resources at every stage and on every side.

There are never enough lawyers to provide indigent defense, but the situation has gotten worse since the pandemic.

01/30/2026

We are pretty sure this client was poor and represented by appointed counsel. Judges like this one in Texas are everywhere. They may not be handcuffing lawyers but intimidating them, demeaning them, being rude and generally a bully in a robe. It took courage to file a complaint and stand up. It cannot get better for our clients unless you stand up and say "No, not today"

The judge allegedly said the attorney was "not allowed to be argumentative and argue just for the sake of argument." The post 'Put her in the box': Judge indicted for handcuffing attorney and interfering with her 'liberty' during courtroom argument about representing client, prosecutor says first ap...

11/06/2025

Here is how good our Public Defender Office has become in Hamilton County over the last 15 years. Before 2010 lawyers were part time who never left because no one would ever hire them in the private sector. People who really wanted to help people accused of a crime would never apply to work there. Today criminal defense lawyers know how good the office is now and have hired away some of the really good lawyers. Connor Reilly is one of those lawyers. But he wants to go back because he wants to be part of what is building there. What is there is a great bunch of wonderful lawyers who are demanding justice for their clients and have the skills and passion to obtain it. They are hungry to do more and we believe Connor will be a great asset to them. Here is the message from the office announcing his hiring:

I am excited to announce that Connor Reilly is rejoining our office as the Felony Division Director! Details about his official assumption of this role will follow.
Connor was with us from 2018 to 2021 in both our Municipal and Felony Divisions before leaving us to work for Ernst and Associates. Connor has had 21 Jury Trials in the last 4 years in multiple counties and is excited to return to practicing exclusively in Hamilton County, where he feels the most at home.

Welcome back Connor!

11/06/2025

In Hamilton County Ohio our Hamilton County Public Defender Office has now produced 7 judges who will preside over juvenile, misdemeanor and felony cases. This has all occurred in the last six years.

08/07/2025

Any Public Defender will tell you Brady violations happen all the time. Reasons they persist?

Because prosecutors claim evidence is not “material”
Because courts are hesitant to reverse convictions
It is nearly impossible to sue prosecutors in civil court.
State bar associations rarely discipline bad actors.
Courts are hesitant to impose disciplinary sanctions.
Prosecutors can avoid admitting misconduct by negotiating deals.
And defending bad behavior is not necessarily a hindrance to political advancement.

Locally, we still employ those found to have cheated by courts while claiming they do not tolerate cheating. How does that sent a message that cheating will not be tolerated?

08/07/2025

Ohio is in the top 5 of something, cheating.
Our prosecutors cheat more than 46 other states and DC. How about that? If you figure in violations per capita we are number 1. And our local Office still employs those found to have violated the constitution by permitting the conviction of innocent people and sending one to death row. Cant claim you are fighting for justice when you employ those who thwart it.

In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court held in the case Brady v. Maryland that prosecutors must turn over any evidence favorable to a criminal defendant prior to trial. This rule is routinely violated, including in many high-profile cases.

06/16/2025

A very small step forward for a state which has been behind for so long. Hopefully, this will build momentum in providing the necessary respresentation to the indigent accused in Mississippi.

Indigent felony defendants in many counties have lacked court-appointed lawyers before indictment, even while they sat in jails for weeks or months.

05/29/2025

Having a well resourced public defender office will provide better representation overall at a fair price. Contract and low pay systems can be more costly long turn and damage the criminal justice system and its reputation in disadvantaged communities.

A large number of court-appointed defense lawyers may stop doing the work Tuesday, which could cause a crisis for criminal defendants and the courts who seek their work.

03/18/2025

Today March 18th is National Public Defense Day and World Social Work Day. They dont do it for the money. They do it to make a difference in the lives of others. If you see one today. Tell them "Thanks". It will mean the world to them. They do not hear it enough

02/27/2025

This is the passion for justice that is in so many of the defenders in the Hamilton County Public Defender Office. It is why it is the top office in all of Ohio.

A Hamilton County man who was serving life in prison for a murder he didn’t commit was out of appeals and nearly out of hope.