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Indigent Defense Symposium
Achieving Quality in Indigent Defense–Proposals, Prototypes, and Policymaking
Date: Friday, September 5th, 2008
Location: 109/144 Bates Law Building, University of Houston Law Center (map)
Registration Starts: 8:30 a.m.
Registration Cost: $25 (Scholarships Available *)
CLE: 4.75 Hours General, 1 Hour Ethics (pending)
* Fee is automatically waived for Law Students, e-mail Luke Gilman to pre-register.
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Indigent Defense Symposium
Announcement: Please note that the location of the symposium has been moved from Krost Hall to 109/144 Bates Law Building. This will not affect parking or directions and signs will be posted directing attendees to the rooms.
The symposium Achieving Quality in Indigent Defense–Proposals, Prototypes, and Policymaking examines the state of indigent defense in our community and the options available to ensure that adequate and effective counsel is made available to those facing criminal charges but unable to afford a lawyer on their own.
Harris County, including the City of Houston, the fourth most populous city in the United States, is currently considering the creation of a Public Defender Office as an alternative to the current system of judicial appointments, a potentially historic change for the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a public defender office.
It is expected that the symposium, providing a forum for the debate of the issue by the foremost researchers, professors and practitioners in the area of indigent defense can provide the community with the necessary information to ensure quality defense for all of its citizens.
Speakers & Presentations
Some of the nation's leading scholars and advocates have gathered to examine the subject of indigent defense in Harris County - among those speaking include:
Norman Lefstein, Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus, Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis
In addition to his teaching, Prof. Lefstein has served on numerous state and national committees overseeing and administering indigent defense and prior to his academic career has practiced as Director of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, as an Assistant United States Attorney in D.C., and as a staff member of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Robert L. Spangenberg, Spangenberg Group
Robert L. Spangenberg headed up the first-ever comprehensive study of indigent defense services in Texas and over the past 20 years has become the nation's foremost expert on the mechanisms of providing legal representation to the poor. Prior to his work with the Spangenberg Group, he directed legal services organizations in Boston and Washington, D.C.
James Bethke, Director, Texas State Task Force on Indigent Defense
James D. Bethke is the Director of the Texas’ State Task Force on Indigent Defense, charged with implementing a statewide system of standards, financing and other resources for criminal defendants unable to hire attorneys and was appointed by Governor Perry in 2005 to the Criminal Justice Advisory Council, a bipartisan panel that advises the Governor on how the state can improve its criminal justice system.
Steven J. Carroll, Department Head, San Diego Public Defender
Steven J. Carroll heads the San Diego County Public Defender's Office which was established in 1988 by County resolution to provide quality legal assistance to individuals charaged with a crime in state court who are financially unable to retain private counsel.
Marjorie A. Meyers, Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Texas
Marjorie A. Meyers is the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas, part of the comprehensive nationwide public defender system for the federal courts. She earned her B.A. from Yale University in 1978, graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982, graduating Order of the Coif and Cum Laude. After law school, Ms. Meyers served as a law clerk to the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, from 1982 until 1983. She became an Assistant Federal Public Defender in 1983 and continued with the Federal Public Defender’s Office until 1992. She was in private practice, specializing in criminal defense, with the law firm of Bennett, Secrest and Meyers, from 1992 until 1997. She returned to the Federal Public Defender’s office in 1997 and was appointed to be the Federal Public Defender in 2004 by the Fifth Circuit.
Prof. Douglas Colbert, Professor of Law, University of Maryland School of Law
Prof. Douglas Colbert is a Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Law School and teaches Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Race and Criminal Justice seminar and the Access to Justice criminal defense clinic. Prior to entering teaching, he was a senior trial attorney in the criminal defense division of the NYC Legal Aid Society and was the lead counsel in the Napanoch prison rebellion and represents plaintiffs in civil rights litigation.
Co-Director, Center for Children, Law & Policy, George Butler Research Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Center
Prof. Ellen Marrus is the George Butler Research Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center focusing her scholarship on children’s rights, professional responsibility and clinical education. Prior to teaching, Prof. Marrus practiced as a public defender in California. Ellen Marrus received her J.D. in 1990 and her LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1992.
This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 4.75 credit hours, of which 1 credit hour will apply to legal ethics/professional responsibility credit.
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