News Archive
Public Defender System in Louisiana Fails to Meet Constitutional Obligations, Says Dean Emeritus Lefstein
08/12/2015
The public defender system in Louisiana is at a standard that “is simply far below what the constitution requires and frankly what rules of ethics require of lawyers,” Dean Emeritus Norm Lefstein told the Shreveport Times in a story published August 10.
The problems stem from a lack of funding for public defense, which could lead to wrongful or overturned convictions. Lawyers are struggling with high caseloads and overhead and out-of-pocket expenses aren’t being reimbursed, the story reports.
Dean Emeritus Lefstein led the law school from 1988 to 2002. He is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of indigent defense, criminal justice, and professional responsibility. He teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, and professional responsibility at IU McKinney.
