Overview of Funding Crisis
The following resources are designed to provide members with information about when a private attorney is appointed in a criminal case. If an attorney is not capable of providing competent representation due to lack of experience, the attorney is ethically obligated to file a motion seeking to be released from the appointment. If insufficient funding exists to hire the investigators and experts necessary in order to provide competent representation, attorneys should seek to stay the proceedings through the procedures established in
State v. Wigley, 624 So.2d 425 (La. 1993) and
State v. Citizen, 898 So.2d 325 (La. 2005).
The Louisiana State Public Defender Board has published the following information on the current state of funding for indigent defense in Louisiana:
