Travis County Aims to Allow Defenders at Bail Hearings

The defunct program has faced a two-year uphill battle

"...attorneys for the first shift will be provided by Capital Area Private Defender Service, the nonprofit organization that has..."

March 29, 2024 News Feature by Austin Sanders

APD Reveals More of Its Plans for City-Run Bail Hearings

Behind-the-scenes plans coming into view

"...the county would be increasing the price of their services by $2.6 million. The city had already been working..."

Oct. 6, 2023 News Feature by Austin Sanders

APD Has Been Quietly Planning for the City to Run Its Own Bail Hearings for Arrestees

Why? They say for efficiency’s sake

"...people out of jail unnecessarily and provide more robust services to people facing jail time...."

Sept. 28, 2023 News Post by Austin Sanders

You Have a Right to Counsel. So Why Doesn’t Travis County Allow Attorneys at Bail Hearings?

Get out of jail free $10K

"...custody of their children, says Travis County Chief Public Defender Adeola Ogunkeyede. Cancer patients may miss treatments. Folks living..."

Aug. 4, 2023 News Feature by Maggie Quinlan

Travis County Tries to Fix Its Public Defense Problems

But advocates warn about the middleman

"...a lack of funding, Texas' 2011 statute mandating public defenders' offices is maddeningly vague on design – a county..."

June 23, 2023 News Feature by Lina Fisher

Free Legal Counsel at Magistration Fizzles Out

County pulls the plug on pilot program thwarted by staffing crises

"...Court, Sheriff's Office, district and county attorneys, and Public Defender's Office, a pilot program providing free legal assistance to..."

July 29, 2022 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Sheriff Hits Pause on Magistration Pilot After Nine Days, Saying She Needs Help

$500K program would provide counsel to indigent arrestees

"...the program in concert with the Travis County Public Defender’s Office and the Capital Area Private Defenders Service. As..."

May 17, 2022 News Post by Brant Bingamon

Ten Local Stories That Got Overshadowed

Most of these could top the charts in a normal year ...

"...3) Feb. 4: First Travis County Public Defender The Travis County Commis­sioners Court named Adeola Ogunkeyede as..."

Dec. 18, 2020 News Feature by Lina Fisher

D.A.-Elect José Garza Taps Reform Advocates for His Team

It's a new day in court for Austin's top law enforcement office

"...before moving on in 2007 to the Bronx Public Defenders, an iconic nonprofit that has pioneered transforming the legal..."

Nov. 18, 2020 News Post by Austin Sanders

County Names Its First Chief Public Defender

Commissioners Court appoints University of Virginia Law School lecturer Adeola Ogunkeyede to lead office

"...took the next major step toward establishing a public defender office: appointing University of Virginia Law School lecturer Adeola..."

Feb. 14, 2020 News Feature by Michael King

2019's Big Stories Shaping Austin's Path Into a New Decade

Never a slow news day

"...Texas' nonstop population growth, most of it in urban areas. In case you thought that screwing cities and counties..."

Dec. 20, 2019 News Feature by the News Staff

Defense Bar Faults Court-at-Law 4 on Backlog, Impartiality

Interim judge of family violence court responds to questions

"...she responded in writing, inviting representatives of the ACDLA, Capital Area Private Defender Service, and prosecutors to discuss their..."

Dec. 4, 2019 News Post by Michael King

$20 Million State Grant Comes Through for Indigent Defense

Texas Indigent Defense Commission approves four-year grant to create public defender’s office

"...their history." And Betty Blackwell, board chair of the Capital Area Private Defender Service, said, "I'm absolutely thrilled and..."

Sept. 6, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

State Grant Approved for Public Defender Office

New era in Travis County indigent defense to begin next year

"...of matching funds to support creation of a Public Defenders Office, and additional support for the existing Capital Area..."

Aug. 30, 2019 News Post by Michael King

Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Effectively Decriminalized in Travis County

Texas decriminalizes “hemp,” chaos ensues

"...While Betty Blackwell, president of the Capital Area Private Defender Service board, is pleased that local..."

July 12, 2019 News Feature by Kevin Curtin

Travis County to Reject Marijuana Prosecutions

Officers can't legally determine what is weed and what is hemp

"...and our only other option will be to pay private labs for each submission. Additionally, the testing lab will..."

July 3, 2019 News Post by Kevin Curtin

Justice for All

"...Travis County and the community to create a public defender’s office [“In Search of Greater Justice,” News, May 24]...."

May 24, 2019 Postmarks

In Search of Greater Justice With a Travis County Public Defender’s Office

Taking steps toward a much improved, more equitable local criminal justice system

"...Commission for the creation of a Travis County public defender's office. [inset-1-right]..."

May 24, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Public Defender Proposal Submitted to the State

Judges sign off on county application for funding of PDO

"...Indigent Defense Commission, for the creation of a Public Defender's Office. Now, the county will wait for the TIDC..."

May 13, 2019 News Post by Michael King

County Pushes Public Defender Plan Forward

Commissioners Court votes to proceed with indigent defense office – but not everybody's happy about it

"...to approve a working proposal to establish a public defender's office (with Commissioner Gerald Daugherty dissenting). If approved, the..."

May 10, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Point Austin: Rising to the Defense

Travis County tries to level the courtroom playing field with a public defender's office

"...(if approved) would initiate the creation of a public defender's office, beginning next year ("County Pushes Public Defender Plan..."

May 10, 2019 News Column by Michael King

Commissioners Court to Decide Next Step in Proposed Public Defender’s Office

May 7 vote scheduled to approve grant proposal to fund new indigent defense office

"...Defense Com­mission that would help underwrite establishing a public defender's office for the county. This is a criminal justice..."

May 3, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Support Remains for a Travis County Public Defenders' Office

Local judges, community leaders on what needs to happen to create a new office

"...still want to work toward a Travis County Public Defenders' Office. The panel discussion focused on the basic details..."

April 19, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Travis County Revisits Creating Public Defenders’ Office

Legal panel ponders questions pondered many times before

"...about the possibility of creating a Travis County Public Defenders’ Office, the myriad stakeholders still want to make progress..."

April 16, 2019 News Post by Michael King

Judges Not Ready to Endorse Public Defender Plan

Proposed office's future even more uncertain

"...The fate of Travis County's potential public defender's office, first proposed last spring, is more uncertain than..."

March 1, 2019 News Feature by Nina Hernandez

A Public Defender's Office in Travis County?

Commissioners to consider concept of split system

"...to continue deliberations on the feasibility of a public defender's office on Tuesday, Oct. 16, after signaling in April..."

Oct. 12, 2018 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

How to Jail the Poor

Travis County tries to fix its Driving While License Invalid issue

"...after attorney Betty Blackwell – who's president of the Capital Area Private Defender Service, which provides representation to defendants..."

Sept. 21, 2018 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

Crime Lab Chronicles

City memo updates on troubled DNA lab's progress

"...it. The ask for more time isn't shocking: The Capital Area Private Defender Service hypothesized last fall that a..."

Aug. 24, 2018 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Beside the Point: Represent, Represent

County commissioners consider the right form of indigent defense

"...its Managed Assigned Counsel program, otherwise known as the Capital Area Private Defender Service, the nonprofit that through county..."

April 27, 2018 News Column by Chase Hoffberger

County Courts-at-Law Nos. 3 & 5: Now We’ve Got Bad Blood

Defense attorneys eye Hohengarten, Lipscombe on county benches

"...a pipe dream, but he did advocate that the Capital Area Private Defender Service, a wheel system of indigent..."

Feb. 16, 2018 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

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