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Share 386 | Why Have the Private Defense Lawyers who Take 40% of Federal Public Defense Cases Stopped Getting Paid? w/Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson
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386 | Why Have the Private Defense Lawyers who Take 40% of Federal Public Defense Cases Stopped Getting Paid? w/Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson
Today, Hunter was Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson to discuss the payment stoppage for Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorneys. Just like state public defender systems, the federal public defender system relies on private defense counsel to take conflict cases and serve as the primary way to deliver public defender services. Yet as of the start of July, those CJA panel attorneys have had payments stopped, and those payments aren't set to come back online until at least October. So, what will happen to the federal public defender system now and in the future?
Guest:
Renae Alt-Summers, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of South Carolina
Mekka Jeffers-Nelson, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of Western North Carolina
Resources:
Contact Renae and Mekka
Read More About the Freeze
https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2025/07/15/funding-crisis-leaves-defense-lawyers-working-without-pay
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/defense-lawyers-needy-clients-congressional-funds-dry-up/
https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal-defender-program-will-run-out-of-funds-to-pay-panel-attorneys-court-officials-warn
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/defense-lawyers-face-months-without-pay-as-federal-funds-dry-up
https://www.wacdl.org/blog_home.asp?Display=14
https://www.fd.org/news/funding-crisis-leaves-defense-lawyers-working-without-pay
Contact Hunter Parnell:
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home
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By Hunter Parnell
4.8
8383 ratings
Today, Hunter was Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson to discuss the payment stoppage for Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorneys. Just like state public defender systems, the federal public defender system relies on private defense counsel to take conflict cases and serve as the primary way to deliver public defender services. Yet as of the start of July, those CJA panel attorneys have had payments stopped, and those payments aren't set to come back online until at least October. So, what will happen to the federal public defender system now and in the future?
Guest:
Renae Alt-Summers, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of South Carolina
Mekka Jeffers-Nelson, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of Western North Carolina
Resources:
Contact Renae and Mekka
Read More About the Freeze
https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2025/07/15/funding-crisis-leaves-defense-lawyers-working-without-pay
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/defense-lawyers-needy-clients-congressional-funds-dry-up/
https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal-defender-program-will-run-out-of-funds-to-pay-panel-attorneys-court-officials-warn
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/defense-lawyers-face-months-without-pay-as-federal-funds-dry-up
https://www.wacdl.org/blog_home.asp?Display=14
https://www.fd.org/news/funding-crisis-leaves-defense-lawyers-working-without-pay
Contact Hunter Parnell:
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home
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