A Sword for the Convicted Representing Indigent Defendants on Appeal

This book offers the first study of indigent criminal appellate representation in the United States. Using New York City as a research model, it explores the organizational, tactical, and ethical challenges of providing zealous advocacy for every convicted indigent wishing to appeal. The author, a former staff attorney with New York's Legal Aid Society, examines the impact of the Supreme Court's Douglas decision on appellate courts and representation; presents an empirical study of criminal appeals in New York; and discusses the implications of this research for indigent appellate defense.