Mississippi courts won't say how they provide lawyers for poor clients
SzethFriendOfNimi, Lehto’s Law covered this today
wintermute_oregon, This is one of the largest issues In our justice system
Unless you’re wealthy. You get a shit lawyer.
This is easily solved. Make all criminal lawyers defend all clients. The state can pay for it as a negotiated rate.
Serving as a lawyer is a privilege and not a right.
shalafi, What a wonderful way to end up with nothing but shit lawyers.
“I’m the best criminal defense lawyer in town.”
Government: “You have to work for us, on the cases we mandate you take, at a price cut.”
“Golly. Guess I’m not practicing criminal law anymore! I’ll take my labor to private enterprise.”
wintermute_oregon, Except there are many more lawyers than jobs. A criminal lawyer wouldn’t find it easy to switch to corporate law. Corporate law is mainly contracts.
LufyCZ, Yeah, so then it’d mean that young new lawyers will avoid going into criminal law leading to a massive shortage once the current generation dies out
DougHolland, 
Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies, rivers and seas boiling, 40 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes, the dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together — mass hysteria!
DougHolland, If the justice system cared about justice, a robust defense would be well-funded as a matter of routine and law, in every case.
wintermute_oregon, I think it’s legacy that hasn’t kept up with the times.
My lawyer is 400 an hour. He isn’t criminal, im using him for a civil case.
Imagine if you were charged with some BS crime. It could cost you 20k+ easily to defend yourself.
I think the only trials was millions of dollars.
With the average person having less then 500 for an emergency. It shows the average person can’t afford a bullshit charge.
It’s why pleas are so common. You can at lest reduce your risk.
DougHolland, Agreed that it’s awful. The solution is, universal legal care. If you’re charged with a crime, all legal expenses for a robust defense are paid by the court. Feels like a human right to me.
It’s part of my 22-point platform for reforming the justice system, all of which is wildly unlikely.
wintermute_oregon, Basically we are saying the same thing.
It’s to easy to get a stupid charge and have to take a pleas cos you can’t afford a defense.
I am curious how many people are in prison because they couldn’t afford a defense. Public defenders tend to be overworks and under paid.
DougHolland, I am curious how many people are in prison because they couldn’t afford a defense.
Most of them, from what I’ve seen.
And I’ll add that some or most of the “found guilty” really are guilty, but sending even a guilty person to prison through a rigged system is not a victory.
wintermute_oregon, I would love to see plea bargaining go away. It’s often used just to screw people.
DougHolland, Sure feels like something close to coercion.
Spendrill, (edited ) “We are proud of our market leading justice for rich clients.”
“No, we asked what you were doing for poor defendants.”
“The provisions we make for our rich clients are also available to our poor clients for the same price.”
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