The only true justice comes after a fair fight.
Our Constitution guarantees every person charged with a crime the right to an attorney who can raise a sound defense in open court. That means the state must pay to hire an attorney to defend those who can’t afford to hire an attorney for himself or herself.
That’s to prevent overzealous governments local, state, or national from prosecuting political enemies or railroading the poor and to make sure we do all we can to keep innocent people out of jail.
But our governments haven’t invested in protecting that right, often leaving poor defendants represented by overworked, underpaid public attorneys who lack the time or resources to give their clients the representation to which they’re entitled.