Anthony L. Ricco, a native of Harlem, New York, is one of the premier criminal defense attorneys in the nation.
His career has been defined by his unwavering dedication to criminal defense and social justice. He has tirelessly championed the rights of individuals facing legal challenges, particularly those from marginalized communities facing the death penalty and lengthy sentences.
As we embrace the month of March, we celebrate Women's History Month—a time to especially applaud the profound contributions and achievements of women throughout history.
With immense pride and honor, the Training Division acknowledges the indomitable spirit, unwavering dedication, and exceptional talents of the remarkable women within Defender Nation who tirelessly advocate for justice and equality every day.
Clara Shortridge Foltz was the first woman lawyer on the Pacific Coast and the founder of the public defender movement. She sued for entrance into California’s only law school, tried cases in court when women were not allowed to serve on juries and played a key role in winning women’s suffrage in California 100 years ago, as well as other struggles for civil rights and legal reform.
For 60 years, the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) has ensured that people who cannot afford to retain an attorney in federal criminal cases receive professional legal counsel at no cost.
The full U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved Judge Melissa R. DuBose’s historic nomination as the first person of color and first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island (view full article).
Jasmine Yoon has been confirmed by the Senate and will become the first Asian American Article III federal judge to serve in Virginia (view full article).
She will be a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia.
Yoon, who was born in South Korea, was nominated by President Joe Biden to fill the position when Chief Judge Michael F. Urbanski assumes senior status in July 2024.
On March 18, 1963, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments guaranteed appointment of counsel for Mr. Clarence Earl Gideon and all others facing serious criminal charges who cannot afford to retain counsel on their own. On re-trial with an attorney, Mr. Gideon was acquitted of all charges.
As Public Defense Day is observed nationwide, it serves as a poignant reminder of the tireless dedication of defense professionals.
Two former law enforcement officers who were part of a self-styled “Goon Squad” that tortured, sexually assaulted and beat residents of a Mississippi county were given hefty prison sentences on Tuesday for brutally attacking two Black men last year (view full article).
A federal judge ordered Hunter Elward, who shot one of the victims in the mouth, to serve 20 years in prison. Jeffrey Middleton, a former lieutenant who supervised the Goon Squad, was sentenced to nearly 18 years.
Federal public defenders would avoid the most dire budget scenarios under the fiscal 2024 funding package unveiled Thursday, with Congress set to spend tens of millions of dollars more than previous proposals from the House and Senate (View press release).
In April 2023, Elizabeth Brown Luck made history as the first person of color appointed as Chief of the Defender Services Office at the Administrative Office (AO) of the United States Courts.