Free Justice, Sara Mayeux
Free Justice, Sara Mayeux
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Free Justice
A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America

Author: Sara Mayeux

Narrator: Ann Richardson

Unabridged: 10 hr 6 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 06/22/2020

Categories: Nonfiction, History, Law


Synopsis

Though often taken for granted, the modern American public defender is a recent invention with a surprisingly contentious history—one that offers insights not only about the "carceral state," but also about the contours and compromises of twentieth-century liberalism.

First gaining appeal amidst the Progressive Era fervor for court reform, the public defender idea was swiftly quashed by elite corporate lawyers who believed the legal profession should remain independent from the state. Public defenders took hold in some localities but not yet as a nationwide standard. By the 1960s, views had shifted. Gideon v. Wainwright enshrined the right to counsel into law and the legal profession mobilized to expand the ranks of public defenders nationwide. Yet within a few years, lawyers had already diagnosed a "crisis" of underfunded, overworked defenders providing inadequate representation—a crisis that persists today. This book shows how these conditions, often attributed to recent fiscal emergencies, have deep roots, and chronicles the intertwined histories of constitutional doctrine, big philanthropy, professional in-fighting, and Cold War culture that made public defenders ubiquitous but embattled figures in American courtrooms.

About Sara Mayeux

Sara Mayeux is associate professor of law at Vanderbilt University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Leanna on September 08, 2023

3.5 stars—starts out super strong but ultimately gets repetitive and could be so much more interesting & critical......more

Goodreads review by Bill on November 16, 2022

Mandatory reading for anyone interested in the establishment and development of the public defender system. It helps that the writing is crisp and efficient. There's a conundrum at the heart of the system: a governmental authority (state, federal, even administrative agency) seeks criminal conviction......more

Goodreads review by David on October 04, 2021

I was originally drawn to this book because of the nominal subject, which is the history of the public-defender system in America. I am immersed in this subject because of a book that I'm writing about a killing. However, this book isn't just about court-appointed lawyers. It covers the larger issues......more

Goodreads review by John on August 30, 2024

The importance of public defenders and appointed counsel to the "just" operation of the criminal justice system is under appreciated by professional and lay readers. This book unfortunately does not provide the comprehensive evaluation the delivery of appointed representation in criminal cases we ne......more