To provide cost-efficient, high-quality, timely, public appellate defense services to indigent criminal defendants in cases assigned by the courts. And, to provide legal resources and training materials to support private criminal defense practitioners assigned to represent indigent criminal defendants, to enhance the quality and effectiveness of that representation and reduce indigent defense and overall criminal justice costs to State and local governmental units.

Michigan’s State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) was formed in 1969 as a result of a grant submitted by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). After receiving the grant, the Court issued Order 1970-1, formally establishing the Appellate Defender Commission. The Michigan Supreme Court established the office to provide high-quality, efficient legal representation to indigent criminal defendants in post-conviction matters. In 1979, legislation was enacted to formally establish the office, which was charged with handling approximately 25% of statewide appellate assignments, and with providing legal resources to the criminal defense bar. Significantly, the legislation also set intake limits, by providing that SADO may accept only that number of cases that will allow it to provide quality defense services consistent with the funds appropriated by the Michigan Legislature. The legislation created a seven-member Appellate Defender Commission, established within the State Court Administrator’s Office, to develop and supervise a coordinated system for regulating the assignment of counsel to all indigent criminal appeals in Michigan. 1978 PA 620; MCL 780.711 et seq.

Pursuant to that charge, the Commission held public hearings and determined that a mixed system of full-time defenders and assigned private attorneys would best serve the long-term interests of the entire system. It created the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System (MAACS) in 1985 to provide appellate training and maintain the roster of appointed counsel, and to coordinate case assignments between the private bar and SADO. The Appellate Defender Commission also developed standards for administration of the system and for performance of criminal appellate counsel, which were adopted by the Michigan Supreme Court in 1981. 412 Mich lxv. Administrative Order 1989-3 mandated that all circuit courts comply with Section 3 of the standards regarding appointment of appellate counsel.

In 2007-08 (SADO’s fiscal year begins each October 1st), SADO’s twenty-two staff attorneys represented approximately 584 new clients on their assigned appeals of state convictions, representing 30.7% of statewide trial appeals, and 9.4% of statewide guilty plea appeals. Three of those staff attorneys were recently-hired, completing a training period with minimal or no caseloads of their own. SADO offered criminal appellate clinical training for law students attending the University of Michigan Law School, Wayne State University Law School, and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, using cases assigned to the senior staff attorneys teaching the clinics.

SADO’s Criminal Defense Resource Center (CDRC) provided support services to the criminal defense community and general public, coordinated through a web portal, www.sado.org. The services included online databases (pleadings, expert testimony, and more), court opinion summaries, four practice manuals (the Defender Books), technology training events throughout the state, an online discussion group (the Forum), and direct research support for attorneys statewide (help@sado.org) and in Wayne Circuit Court. The CDRC administered approximately $300,000 in training grants awarded to SADO, partnering with the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan (CDAM), Criminal Advocacy Program (CAP), and State Bar of Michigan.

SADO’s principal office is in Detroit:

A second office is in Lansing:

SADO’s annual reports, dating from 1971, are contained within Appellate Defender Commission reports that have both SADO and MAACS components.

Current job postings: None at this time

The 2008 John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act Signed into law by President Bush on August 14, 2008, the Act authorizes up to $10,000 per year in student loan repayment assistance for qualified full-time public defenders and prosecutors who are selected to participate in the program. The maximum repayment benefit that any one borrower may receive is $60,000, and participants must agree to stay in their jobs for three years. The program will be administered by the Department of Justice. Congress will fund the program through a separate spending bill, projected at $25million for fiscal year 2009, an amount that would allow participation by 2500 defenders and prosecutors. SADO’s human resources director will have information on the program, for those responding to current job postings.

Excellence in Michigan Appellate Assigned Advocacy and Defense Resources since 1969.

645 Griswold | 3300 Penobscot Building | Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 256-9833 | Fax: (313) 965-0372 | E-mail: webmaster@sado.org