By: Shannon Magnuson, Lore Joplin, Jen Lerch, Kimberly Richards
In the intricate web of the American criminal justice system, the initial appearance – the first time an individual appears before a court after an arrest – often flies under the radar. Yet, this preliminary stage holds profound implications for an individual’s life and the fairness of the entire system.
Shockingly, unlike later stages of prosecution, there is no federal constitutional right to a defense attorney at these critical initial appearances, where charges are presented and crucial pretrial release decisions are frequently made. This responsibility falls upon individual states ...