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Government Shutdown Threatens Right to Counsel for Defendants

11/4/2025

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Lawyers' Representation Crisis

The government shutdown severely limits court-appointed lawyers' ability to represent indigent defendants.
Private attorneys have stopped accepting new cases because the program funding ran out in July.
The shutdown prevents Congress from authorizing new funding, shrinking the pool of available lawyers from about 100 to under 20 in some districts.
The result jeopardizes the right to counsel, as established in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).

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SJC Considers Advocate Pay

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) will hear arguments on a pay raise for bar advocates amid an attorney shortage.
Approximately 2,000 accused individuals lack representation, contributing to the dismissal of over 100 cases in a single hearing.
Bar advocates currently earn $65 per hour and seek an increase of $60 over two years.
Experts say the SJC's decision could shift power and affect the right to counsel.

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Lawyers' Representation Crisis

The government shutdown severely limits court-appointed lawyers' ability to represent indigent defendants.
Private attorneys have stopped accepting new cases because the program funding ran out in July.
The shutdown prevents Congress from authorizing new funding, shrinking the pool of available lawyers from about 100 to under 20 in some districts.
The result jeopardizes the right to counsel, as established in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).

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