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"Our attorneys are drowning."

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That's a quote from the

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Wisconsin State Public Defender

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after the state Senate adjourned

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without taking up a bill

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to fund 52 new positions

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including

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18 additional attorneys.

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What are the consequences

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of not having enough people

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to timely defend everyone

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who needs it?

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People wait in custody longer.

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Right? Cases go longer

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without having a lawyer.

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So we have had clients

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sitting in custody

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prior to a preliminary hearing

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which they're entitled

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to have within 10 days

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if they're in custody

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20 days if they're

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out of custody

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and they're sitting there

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without a lawyer

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because there's no lawyer

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to take their case.

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You also have cases

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in the system longer, right?

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So cases that might have

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resolved

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six months to nine months

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pre-pandemic

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now we're waiting longer

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to resolve or

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longer to even get an attorney.

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So there's a lot of delay

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in both getting

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a client or lawyer.

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There's a lot of delay

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in resolving a case

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which could have an impact

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on both the system

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as well as the individuals who

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you know

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the complaining witnesses

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in a case

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the people that have gone

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to the police for help.

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It delays the case

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for them also.