Libsyn Directory

413 | How New Mexico Joined in On the Fight to End Harmful Court Fines and Fees w/Joanna Weiss

Release Date: 11/04/2025

2025 Wrap Up

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter wraps up 2025 with one last episode! Guest: Resources: Top 10 Episodes of 2025 334 | Was a Former Colorado Public Defender Fired for Raising Concerns over his Workload? w/Travis Weiner 335 | How Sec Def Austin Interfered with the 9/11 and U.S.S. Cole Case Plea Deals w/Allison Miller and Katie Carmon 336 | How the San Mateo Private Defender Program is Trying to Earn Back the Community's Trust w/Lisa Maguire and Harpreet Samra 328 | How the Laken Riley Act Could Get Innocent People Sent to Guantanamo Bay w/Ann Block and Nithya Nathan-Pineau 331 | How the Far West Texas Public...

429 | How Technology Can Improve Public Defense in and out of the Courtroom w/Mohammed Al Rawi and Ryan Wolfe

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Mohammed Al Rawi and Ryan Wolfe of ZLS.App. The three discussed how ZLS is helping public defenders improve case management with automated systems. With better case management systems, public defenders are better equipped to collect and track the data that public defenders need to justify their requests to the legislatures. Guest: Mohammed Al Rawi, Co-Founder. ZLS.app Ryan Wolfe, Co-Founder, ZLS.app Resources: Find ZLS Here Contact Hunter...

428 | How Will New Leadership Handle Missouri Public Defender's Low Pay and the State's Mental Health Resource Crisis w/Matthew Crowell

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by the new Chief Public Defender for the state of Missouri, Matthew Crowell. Matthew and Hunter discussed a range of topics that Matthew is now facing as the Chief and how he hopes to tackle them. Guest: Matthew Crowell, Chief Public Defender, Missouri Resources: Contact the Missouri Public Defender Here Lawsuit Contact Hunter...

427 | What Happened to Public Defense in Stanislaus County After They Started Talking About Not Taking New Cases? w/Jennifer Jennison

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined once again by Stanislaus County Chief Public Defender Jennifer Jennison. Last time she was one the show, Jennifer detailed how she made the decision to make her office unavailable for new cases because of the unethical workload in her office. Now, Jennifer is back to tell us what came of that decision and what is next for the office. Guest: Jennifer Jennison, Chief Public Defender, Stanislaus County, California Resources: Modesto Bee Reporting https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article288551423.html Stanislaus County Public Defender ...

426 | The Conservative Arkansas County Trying to Stop a Prison Being Built Next Door w/Lauren Gill

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Bolts Magazine staff writer, Lauren Gill. Back in September, Lauren authored a remarkable piece about how a small county in rural Arkansas responded to the threat of a new prison being built in their back yard. Guest: Lauren Gill, Staff Writer, Bolts Mag Resources: Check Out Lauren’s Work Read the Article Here Contact Hunter...

*AUDIO FIXED* 425 | How Ramsey County Prosecutors and Public Defenders are Collaborating to Improve the Legal System w/John Choi and Greg Egan

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Greg Egan and John Choi. For the first time on the show, a Public Defender and the District Attorney join the show at the same time to describe how their collaborative efforts have improved public safety without mass incarceration. Guest: Greg Egan, Public Defender, Ramsey County, Minnesota John Choi, Elected District Attorney, Ramsey County, Minnesota Resources: Contact John Contact Greg linkedin.com/in/greg-egan-2a5a5359 We Resolve Contact Hunter...

424 | If You Cannot Afford an Attorney, None Will Be Appointed to You w/Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined once again by Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of the Deason Center. This time, the two join the show to help us understand the policy decisions that local governments make that increase or decrease the likelihood that a person who cannot afford an attorney will actually get one appointed if they want it. Guest: Andrew Davies, Director of Research, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University Shelby Sirivore, Contractor, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University Resources: Read the Report Read more from the Deason Center Check...

423 | How the Los Angeles Public Defender is Revolutionizing the Representation of People with Neurocognitive Disorders w/Noah Cox

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Noah Coax. Noah leads the office’s Neurocognitive Disorder Team that has charted a new path for public defenders to properly represent clients with cognitive impairments. Guest: Noah Cox, Deputy Public Defender, Neurocognitive Disorder Team, Los Angeles Public Defender Resources: More About NDT Contact the Office and Noah Here NCox@pubdef.lacounty.gov https://pubdef.lacounty.gov/ Contact Hunter...

422 | What Does it Take to Undo California's Legacy of Mass Incarceration? w/Danielle Harris

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Danielle Harris, Managing Attorney of the Freedom Project at the San Francisco Public Defender Office. Thanks to mass incarceration policies like mandatory minimums and three strikes laws, thousands of people in California languish away serving brutally harsh sentences. Recognizing the cruelty, the state passed a series of laws aimed at giving people a pathway to early release, and for years, Danielle and her team at the Freedom Project have helped people get early release. Sadly, their grant funding is at an end, and this episode is a reminder that if we are...

421 | How the Law Makes it So Easy for Prosecutors to Withhold Evidence w/Justin Murray

Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined once again by Professor Justin Murray. This time, Justin and Hunter discussed Justin’s newest law review article, Brady’s Shadow. In the article, Justin lays out the landmark Supreme Court Case Brady v. Maryland has left criminal defendants with a deeply flawed access to exculpatory evidence. Guest: Justin Murray, Professor of Law, New York Law School Resources: Read the Article Here Contact Justin Contact Hunter...

More Episodes

Today, Hunter spoke with Joanna Weiss, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center. Today, the two sat down to discuss FFJC’s campaign to end court fines and fess the automatically revoke a person’s driver’s license nationally and in New Mexico

Guest:

Joanna Weiss, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Fines and Fees Justice Center

Resources:

FFJC

https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/

https://x.com/FinesandFeesJC

https://www.facebook.com/finesandfeesjc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/finesandfeesjc/

https://bsky.app/profile/finesandfeesjc.bsky.social

https://www.youtube.com/@finesfeesjusticecenter9462

Reform in New Mexico

https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/2023/06/15/new-mexicos-drivers-license-suspension-reform-is-now-in-effect-heres-what-you-need-to-know/