CDANY Applauds NYS Assembly’s One House Bill Which Acknowledges
The Important Work of Criminal Defense Attorneys

The New York State Assembly’s budget proposal recognizes the importance of criminal defense attorneys in our criminal legal system. Mark Funk, President of the Chief Defenders Association of New York (CDANY), said “as we prepare to celebrate the Sixtieth Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark right to counsel case, it is encouraging that the New York State Assembly recognizes the importance of criminal defense attorneys in New York. The Assembly’s proposal regarding an increase in assigned counsel (18-b) rates, rates that have not been raised in twenty years, recognizes the importance of quality representation for poor people.”

This rate increase, if adopted into the final budget, will increase the number and quality of attorneys who are willing to represent indigent clients in the criminal and Family Courts of the State of New York. With no pay raise for assigned attorneys in the past twenty years, many experienced, qualified attorneys have stopped accepting assigned cases. The smaller pool of attorneys and resulting higher caseloads affects the quality of representation poor people receive.

This rate increase will put our State closer to the promise of the Gideon decision, which is fair, just and equitable criminal legal system.