Free Justice: A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America

Every day, in courtrooms around the United States, thousands of criminal defendants are represented by public defenders — lawyers provided by the government for those who cannot afford private counsel. Though often taken for granted, the modern American public defender has a surprisingly contentious history — one that offers insights not only about the “carceral state,” but also about the contours and compromises of twentieth-century liberalism.

First gaining appeal amidst the Progressive Er...