The criminal legal system looks different to defendants who cannot afford a lawyer. All arrestees have the constitutional right to consult with an attorney when they are detained. However, in practice, only those who can afford a private attorney generally have access to counsel in the hours after an arrest. This is a vulnerable and critical window in many cases; many community members are subject to custodial interrogation, and nearly 80 percent of those arrested waive their Miranda rights, often unknowingly.
We believe that everyone, regardless of income, should have an equal opportunity to exercise their legal rights. The Legal Rights Center is launching the First Defense Hotline, the first program of its kind in Minnesota, to provide free, high-quality, early-stage representation to arrestees, to fill this critical gap in access to legal support across Hennepin County.
Housed at the Legal Rights Center, the First Defense Hotline is a project of the legal community. The hotline is fueled with support from volunteer attorneys and law students who mobilize to provide early-stage representation. We host regular trainings that fully prepare participants from all legal backgrounds to participate as volunteers with the program. No prior experience in criminal defense is required. Click below to RSVP for an upcoming training or reach out to Lyle Cherneff (lcherneff@legalrightscenter.org) with questions. If your law firm, law school, or organization is interested in hosting a training specifically for your team or exploring institutional partnership with the Legal Rights Center, reach out to James Miller (jmiller@legalrightscenter.org) to learn more.
There are many ways for community members (including those who are not licensed attorneys or law students) to support the First Defense Hotline. We hope you’ll join us as a supporter of the program. Share your interests with us by completed the short form, embedded below.
