Latest / Austin News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!
Public Defenders Under Fire | Austin News
Travis County public defenders are drowning in cases, averaging just 16.8 hours per client—far below national standards that range from 13.5 to 286 hours depending on charge severity. Despite handling only 20% of the indigent defense caseload they were designed for, these attorneys deliver deeply thorough, holistic representation—including collaboration with social workers and investigators—that even outperforms private counsel in fairness, according to a Texas A&M study. Yet, juggling 124 cases annually while working standard 40-hour weeks leaves little room for deep dives into serious…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.