Wisconsin State Public Defender

It’s Gault Day – the 59th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming that youth accused of crimes have the same fundamental rights as adults. At the SPD, our youth defenders fight every day to keep that promise alive.

Last month in San Francisco, Chief Public Defender Mano Raju was held in contempt for refusing to let his office take on more cases without more resources. When public defenders are punished for refusing unconstitutional workloads, the promise of a fair trial is effectively dead.

We cannot stand by and watch our constitutional rights erode. Join us in wearing black this Thursday as we call on policymakers in Wisconsin and across the country to fund public defense and protect your right to an attorney.