The Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System (MAACS), a division of the State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) that oversees a roster of about 150 private attorneys handling 2300 court-appointed felony appeals per year, has hired Stephanie Farkas as their new Litigation Support Counsel, an innovative position that will focus on training and supporting MAACS roster attorneys and managing state-funded investigative and expert services for MAACS cases.

Stephanie is an experienced defense attorney with both public and private experience. Most recently, she was a Senior Trial Attorney and Interim Supervisor at Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) Detroit and before that, was a senior Assistant Public Defender with the Berrien County Public Defender Office. Stephanie also previously worked in private practice, including as a MAACS roster attorney. Stephanie is former Chair and member of the State Bar’s Criminal Law Section Council, is an active CDAM member, and also serves on the Michigan Supreme Court’s Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee.

Stephanie’s addition to the MAACS staff represents a significant step in its evolution from a pure administrative agency to a collaborative assigned counsel partnership with the State Appellate Defender Office (SADO). From 1985 until 2014, MAACS operated as a standalone office with the primary responsibilities of maintaining an appellate counsel roster, processing appointment orders, and investigating violations of the minimum standards of appellate representation. But beyond hosting annual training events, MAACS lacked the capacity to assist in individual cases or provide meaningful supervision and development.

Much of that changed when MAACS merged with SADO in 2014, resulting in a significant expansion of the resources, training, and expertise provided to MAACS roster attorneys. These enhancements have allowed a level of support and oversight that is more akin to a traditional public defender office, where staff attorneys can rely on the advice and collective expertise of colleagues and supervisors.

Among the most significant aspects has been the grant-funded Appellate Investigation Project (AIP), under which experienced SADO staff attorneys have teamed up with professional investigators to provide the MAACS roster with a broad range of litigation support, including staff investigation services, briefing assistance, second-chair support at hearings, moot oral arguments, and strategic consultation. MAACS has also heightened the scope of its review procedures and roster attorney development, with regular formal and informal reviews of roster attorney work product and a slate of diverse training opportunities.

Stephanie can be reached at sfarkas@sado.org or 313-256-9833. 

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