The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously established the constitutional right to counsel in 1963’s Gideon v. Wainwright decision because accused persons cannot properly present their court case in ways that would enable judges to dispense justice.

Yet while this fundamental right is strongly supported by the public nationwide, indigent defense is underfunded and under-resourced in states across the country. When poor people cannot meaningfully defend themselves against a prosecutor’s charges, criminal courts cannot properly dispense justice.

As a result, people are often unjustly incarcerated and separated from their families, jobs, and ability to pay their bills – and innocent people are wrongfully convicted – just because they are poor. The harms reverberate and compound throughout each impacted person’s life – as well as that of their family and community. This is not justice, but injustice. This constitutional right is so regularly neglected because most people are unaware of these unjust realities, and presume this constitutional right is enforced for all.

Concerts for Indigent Defense leverages Gideon’s anniversary by providing defenders, musicians, and justice advocates across the country with an extraordinary opportunity to help the public understand this problem – and build public and political support for the constitutional right to counsel.

Concerts for Indigent Defense are intended as attention-raisers, like Earth Day or wearing a ribbon or armband in support of an issue. They are rallying points that draw public, media, and policymaker attention to the constitutional right central to whether or not criminal courts dispense justice. When musicians designate their shows as a “Concert for Indigent Defense,” they enable local defenders and other justice advocates – across the country – to educate the public about this neglected constitutional right and its impacts; energize their supporters, and gain traction for improvements in their courtrooms, legislatures, and budgets.

As such, Concerts for Indigent Defense are intended as attentionraisers. The money flows as it would for any other concert. In some cases they might also serve as fundraisers as well, but the scale of neglect for this fundamental right is so large that only governments can properly address the underlying concern.

Idea, logistical challenges, launch, re-launch, pandemic, video, 60th. It grew at every step.

The initial concept of Concerts for Indigent Defense was in development for over a decade when the initial Concerts for Indigent Defense: New  Orleans, was successfully presented in 2017. Co-produced by death row exoneree John Thompson, in coordination with the Orleans Public Defender, the celebration earned major television, radio, print and social media coverage. The demo proved successful, and we were planning nationwide rollout in 2018, in coordination with the National Association for Public Defense and others, when Mr. Thompson died later that year. With the loss of our friend and partner, the effort was paused.

On March 18, 2022, Concerts for Indigent Defense celebrated the 59th anniversary of Gideon nationwide, presenting a video montage of defender perspectives and music on the website (see above). The celebration was enthusiastically received by the defender community in states across the country and served as a kickoff to the live concerts we presented to celebrate Gideon’s 60th anniversary, featuring the livestreamed show of Walter Wolfman Washington at d.b.a. New Orleans and joined by concerts in 10 states across the country in March, 2023. The momentum from the Gideon’s 60th celebrations lifted up Concerts for Indigent Defense in Houston, Boston, Brooklyn, and Bridgeport, CT in 2024. Stay tuned for what’s happening in 2025!

Local, county, and state public defenders and other criminal justice organizations often have the most accessible information about how indigent defense is provided in their jurisdictions. You can find your local public defense providers through an internet search, or by contacting the appropriate judicial branch in your jurisdiction.

In addition, at the nationwide level, The National Association for Public Defense, which engages public defense professionals in America to address the systemic failure to provide the constitutional right to counsel, and to collaborate with diverse partners to bring meaningful access to justice for poor people.

The Sixth Amendment Center, which seeks to ensure that no person faces potential time in jail without fist having the aid of a lawyer with the time, ability, and resources to present an effective defense, as required under the United States Constitution.

Concerts for Indigent Defense are already developing for 2025… stay tuned!