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cover of episode We The People: Legal Representation

We The People: Legal Representation

2024/8/8
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Throughline
AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
A
Alexis Hogue Forger
C
Clara Foltz
S
Sarah Mayu
大
大法官乔治·萨瑟兰
大
大法官桑德拉·戴·奥康纳
大
大法官瑟古德·马歇尔
旁
旁白
知名游戏《文明VII》的开场动画预告片旁白。
法
法官Edward J. DeMock
Topics
Clara Foltz: 在1893年，Clara Foltz 首次提出公共辩护人制度的概念，认为被告人应该有权获得法律援助，如同检方一样获得政府资源。她认为，没有辩护律师的审判几乎是闹剧，而解决当前刑事法庭许多弊端的办法是选举或任命一名公共辩护人。 Sarah Mayu: 第六修正案保障了被告人在刑事诉讼中的权利，包括获得律师的权利。但最初，人们普遍认为第六修正案并非保障所有被告人都有权获得律师，只有在严重案件中，法官可能会酌情为被告人指派律师。在轻微刑事案件中，被告人通常无需律师即可出庭受审。Clara Foltz 的观点在当时并未被广泛接受，甚至被视为荒谬可笑。 Alexis Hogue Forger: 如今，美国监狱人口激增，公共辩护人面临着巨大的工作量和资金不足的问题。许多公共辩护人每天的工作量是他们实际能够有效处理的三倍。一些地区，公共辩护人每年要处理超过350起重罪案件。公共辩护人的资金一直匮乏，这导致了人员不足、培训不足等问题。 旁白: 斯科茨伯勒案和吉迪恩诉韦恩赖特案是推动公共辩护人制度发展的重要案例。斯科茨伯勒案中，被告人获得的法律援助极其不足，律师未能有效地为他们辩护，最终引起国际关注。吉迪恩诉韦恩赖特案确立了被告人在所有刑事案件中都有权获得律师的权利，即使他们无力支付律师费。 法官Edward J. DeMock: 一些人认为公共辩护人制度具有极权主义性质，是对法律职业的政府接管。 大法官乔治·萨瑟兰: 在刑事审判中，被告人需要律师的指导，否则即使无罪，也可能面临被判有罪的风险。 大法官桑德拉·戴·奥康纳: 即使律师行为不当，如果被告人未能证明这会影响案件结果，也不足以推翻判决。 大法官瑟古德·马歇尔: 斯特里克兰诉华盛顿案的判决标准过于宽松，难以有效保障被告人的权利。被告人应该有权获得高质量的法律援助，而不仅仅是证明律师的不作为会改变案件结果。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Clara Foltz, a pioneering lawyer, first proposed the idea of public defenders in 1893, arguing for government-funded defense lawyers to ensure fair trials for all. Her idea, initially met with resistance, aimed to address the appalling state of legal representation for the poor, where inexperienced or exploitative lawyers were common.
  • Clara Foltz proposed the public defender idea in 1893.
  • She advocated for government-funded defense lawyers.
  • The goal was to ensure fair trials for those who couldn't afford legal representation.

Shownotes Transcript

The Sixth Amendment. Most of us take it for granted that if we're ever in court and we can't afford a lawyer, the court will provide one for us. And in fact, the right to an attorney is written into the Constitution's sixth amendment. But for most of U.S. history, it was more of a nice-to-have — something you got if you could, but that many people went without. Today, though, public defenders represent up to 80% of people charged with crimes. So what changed? Today on Throughline's We the People: How public defenders became the backbone of our criminal legal system, and what might need to change for them to truly serve everyone. (Originally ran as The Right to an Attorney)).Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)