We receive many inquiries into the services provided by and how to become one of our Criminal Justice Act Panel members. We have put together some answers to frequently asked questions to help you understand what is required of our panel attorneys and how to apply to become a member.
The Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office appears initially for all clients brought into federal court who have not retained counsel. If more than one defendant is on a particular case, or if our office has another conflict with providing counsel for the defendant, we will arrange for the court to appoint a private lawyer, known as a panel attorney. The Criminal Justice Act (CJA) of 1964 created a comprehensive system for appointing and compensating lawyers to represent financially eligible defendants in federal criminal proceedings. To view the Criminal Justice Act Guidelines, click here. Private counsel providing services under the CJA are selected from a group of attorneys who have applied for membership to the panel, have been selected by the Indiana Federal Community Defender’s office, and approved by the court. The CJA authorizes hourly compensation and reasonable out of pocket expenses for appointed lawyers. You can view the Southern District of Indiana’s Criminal Justice Act Plan, click here.
Each year in the fall, the Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office assesses the prior year’s caseload to determine if additional CJA panel members are needed. If additions to the panel are warranted by the prior year’s caseload, the office accepts applications from private attorneys who wish to join the panel. These positions are highly competitive. If you wish to join the panel, you may sign up through our website to receive notification when we are accepting applications. If you choose to apply, your application and resume will be reviewed by the Chief Federal Defender and a committee assigned to review applications. The Chief Federal Defender and the Committee will then make suggestions to the court regarding who should be appointed to the panel. As these positions require complex knowledge of criminal law, experienced criminal defense attorneys are encouraged to apply. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. If you are selected for service, you will receive a letter from the District Court notifying you of your selection to serve.
The CJA panel attorneys serve three year terms. At the end of the term, however, if they wish to be reappointed, they may express their interest in ongoing membership to the Chief Federal Defender. The Chief Federal Defender will then make a recommendation about reappointments for coming year to the district court judges. A panel member may be reappointed for another three year term with no limit to the number of terms they may serve. If you are reappointed (and if you are not) you will receive a letter from the District Court notifying you.
The District Representative is appointed from the CJA panel and approved by the Chief Judge of the District Court. The District Representative is appointed to lead the CJA panel, attend the National CJA Conference, serve as liaison between the CJA panel and the federal defender organization, the court, and the Office of Defender Services, comment upon proposed legislation relating to the CJA, and work towards improving the quality of representation as well as the conditions under which panel attorneys provide representation in the district.
CJA Panel Attorney Doneaka Rucker-Brooks is the District Representative for the Southern District of Indiana. Doneaka can be reached at [email protected].
One of the goals of the Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office is to provide attorneys who do not yet have the requisite experience for membership on the Criminal Justice Act Panel the ability to assist a Federal Community Defender or member of the CJA panel in a “second chair” role in order to gain the experience necessary to provide high quality representation to defendants in federal court cases. Members on the development panel are matched with a mentor who they assist with ongoing federal cases. To view the Southern District of Indiana’s Developmental Panel Procedures, click here.
Each year in the fall, the Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office assesses the prior year’s caseload to determine if additional developmental panel members are needed. If additions to the panel are warranted by the prior year’s caseload, the office accepts applications from private attorneys who wish to join the panel. These positions are highly competitive. If you wish to join the panel, you may sign up through our website to receive notification when we are accepting applications. If you choose to apply, your application and resume will be reviewed by the Chief Federal Defender and a committee assigned to review applications. The Chief Federal Defender and the Committee will then make suggestions to the court regarding who should be appointed to the panel. Attorneys seeking membership on the developmental panel need not demonstrate the level of experience necessary to join the CJA panel itself, but a strong interest in providing criminal defense to the indigent must be demonstrated. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.