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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho says the state's public defense system still doesn't guarantee defendants the right to a fair trial and should be found unconstitutional.
Attorney Liz Lockwood made the argument before 4th District Judge Samuel Hoagland on Tuesday, asking him to rule in favor of criminal defendants statewide who have brought the class-action lawsuit against the state. She said recent improvements to the system, including increased funding and statewide standards, lack teeth and don't go far enough to fix excessive caseloads and other issues.
But Idaho Deputy Attorney General Leslie Hayes says the state has made such vast progress toward fixing its troubled indigent criminal defense system in recent years that the ACLU lawsuit should be found moot.
The judge said he will issue a written ruling at some time in the future.
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