386 | Why Have the Private Defense Lawyers who Take 40% of Federal Public Defense Cases Stopped Getting Paid? w/Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson

Author: Hunter Parnell
Published: Thu 21 Aug 2025
Episode Link: http://sites.libsyn.com/387569/386-why-has-the-federal-government-stopped-paying-the-private-defense-lawyers-who-take-40-of-federal-public-defense-cases-wrenae-alt-summers-and-mekka-jeffers-nelson

Today, Hunter was Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson to discuss the payment stoppage for Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorneys. Just like state public defender systems, the federal public defender system relies on private defense counsel to take conflict cases and serve as the primary way to deliver public defender services. Yet as of the start of July, those CJA panel attorneys have had payments stopped, and those payments aren’t set to come back online until at least October. So, what will happen to the federal public defender system now and in the future?

Guest:

Renae Alt-Summers, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of South Carolina

Mekka Jeffers-Nelson, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of Western North Carolina

Resources:

Contact Renae and Mekka

[email protected]

EachPod

EachPod

386 | Why Have the Private Defense Lawyers who Take 40% of Federal Public Defense Cases Stopped Getting Paid? w/Renae Alt-Summers and Mekka Jeffers-Nelson