Eliminate Municipal Public Defender Application Fees

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The message:

Everyone deserves access to an attorney when they are accused of a crime, but New Jersey law currently allows defendants to be charged up to $200 in fees to apply for a municipal public defender. These fees unfairly burden people who have a constitutional right to an attorney, especially people of color and people who are low-income.

It’s time to abolish these fees by passing A5639/S4396 and ending application fees for municipal public defenders.

Financial barriers should not hinder someone’s access to legal representation. Send a message to New Jersey lawmakers and urge them to eliminate municipal public defender application fees by passing A5639/S4396.

The recipients:

Your State Senator

Your State Representatives

Governor Murphy

Senate President Nick Scutari

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin

Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez

Senator Andrew Zwicker

Senator Brian P. Stack

Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park

The message:

It’s time to abolish these fees by passing A5639/S4396 and ending application fees for municipal public defenders.

The recipients:

Your State Senator

Your State Representatives

Governor Murphy

Senate President Nick Scutari

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin

Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez

Senator Andrew Zwicker

Senator Brian P. Stack

Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park

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Your Message

Subject Eliminate municipal public defender application fees

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to an attorney in criminal proceedings regardless of a person’s ability to pay, but New Jersey law currently allows defendants to be charged up to $200 in fees to apply for a municipal public defender. These fees push this constitutionally protected right out of reach for far too many, especially people of color and people who are low-income.

New Jerseyans deserve equitable access to representation and a criminal legal system that does not criminalize poverty. That’s why I’m urging you to vote yes on A5639/S4396, which will eliminate municipal public defender fees statewide.

Message Body

It’s past time for the constitutional right to counsel to be accessible to all, regardless of your financial situation. I urge you to vote yes on A5639/S4396.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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Eliminate Municipal Public Defender Application Fees

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