- About the LJC and the Right to Counsel •
- Indigent Defense in Louisiana •
- Juvenile Defense •
- Victims of the Broken System •
- Indigent Defense in the News •
- Parish Reports and Resources •
- Join Us / Contact Us •
Some information on this website may be outdated. We are in the process of making changes. Please call 504-301-7920 if you have any questions. Thank you for your patience.
Katrina's Impact
Hurricane Katrina has created additional challenges for Louisiana's already floundering system of public defense, ultimately resulting in grave injustices against persons unable to afford a private attorney. Katrina's Impact
Photo by: Seung Hong
Louisiana's System
Louisiana is the only state in the country to attempt to fund the majority of indigent defense services through local revenue, largely from surcharges on traffic tickets and other court costs.
The Louisiana Justice Coalition (LJC) is a diverse group of community leaders and organizations committed to the reform of our indigent defense system. LJC has initiated a comprehensive public education campaign to highlight the crisis in Louisiana's indigent defense system and to raise community voices for change. The campaign focuses on ensuring fundamental fairness, sound fiscal policy and effective policies to ensure positive community welfare for all of our citizens.
LJC believes that the only way to achieve these objectives is to implement and adequately fund an indigent defense system that complies with the American Bar Association Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System.