Most public defenders in the U.S. will handle around 400 each cases per year…but not so in Detroit! There are only five part-time public defenders who EACH take on a staggering 2,400-2,800 cases per year, averaging just 32 minutes for each one. (Note: better think twice before committing that crime in Michigan.)
This has caused major problems for the judicial system in Detroit, and a task force is attempting to set things right. Budgets are being adjusted to allow the hiring of more attorneys, but that’s not helping matters in the mean time.
Currently, some courts don’t even allow alleged criminals to ask for an attorney when they are accused of a misdemeanor. In other courts, all the accused has to do is agree not to ask for an attorney and he or she might even be let off scot-free.