The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "court-appointed lawyers" ...
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Writs Gone Wrong
The Austin American-Statesman investigates as writs of habeas corpus are found to have errors when submitted to the court. These writs are essential in death row appeals because they "help ensure that the right person will be executed and that verdicts are obtained in accordance with the U.S. and state constitutions." But the newspaper found that "court appointed lawyers routinely submit shockingly botched writs applications. Some are incomplete, incomprehensible or improperly argued. Others are duplicated, poorly, from previous appeals." Yet, these lawyers are not held accountable for these mistakes.
Tags: Writ of Habeas Corpus; death row appeals; court-appointed lawyers; lazy lawyers; overworked lawyers; case load
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Misplaced Trust: Guardians in the district and guardians in control
This story uncovered how some attorneys appointed by judges to watch over and protect the elderly, orphaned and mentally ill clients were doing the opposite. Instead, these legal guardians often neglected, victimized and sometimes stole from their charges.
Tags: lawyers; court-appointed; theft; fraud
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"No Justice for Children"
"Traditionally, Family Court has received little scrutiny from the media. The underlying feeling has been that when divorcing parents wage bitter custody battles over their children those are personal matters best left in the dusty files of the courthouse basement." In an eight-month investigation into the Family Court system in North Texas, WFAA found a legal system filled with political corruption on the part of judges, lawyers and even psychologists. In one instance WFAA discovered that a court-appointed psychologist used outdated psychological test to falsely label some parents unfit to care for their children.
Tags: VIDEOCLIP; TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Family Courts; justice system; corruption; neglect
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Unequal Justice
A Star-Telegram three-part series reveals that in Tarrant county, Texas, "people who can't afford their own attorneys are much more likely to receive a jail or prison sentence than people who pay for their own lawyers, even among defendants with similar criminal histories." The reporters examine more than 10, 500 court records and find numerous cases of innocent people, spending months in prison, because they can't afford to pay an experienced attorney. The investigation also shows that poor are more vulnerable to death penalty. "The findings reveal a system in which poor defendants must stay in jail because they can't afford bail or an attorney; low compensation leads many top defense attorneys to avoid court appointed cases, leaving defendants with inexperienced lawyers; rules for providing lawyers to the poor differ from judge to judge."
Tags: Texas Public Information Act; crime; wrongful convictions; death penalty; lawyers
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No title (id: 13437)
Texas Lawyer investigates Larry W. Baraka, a Texas judge who spent 85.4 percent more money on court-appointed lawyers in the last year than did his fellow county judges. While Baraka argues that his county also heard 25 percent more dispositions than courts in other counties, Baraka's district court seat plans to apprehend the judge on spending issues during next year's campaigns. (Nov. 6, 1996)
Tags: Vincent The Most Generous Judge in Dallas Judicial system Criminal law 2 pgs.
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Squaring off over annuities
The intentions of a mentally incompentent 95 - year - old woman are at issue in a price-fixing lawsuit filed against several hundred charities. The woman's court-appointed guradian and his team of anti-trust lawyers contend that the charities are selling investments at below market rates. Charities say that they are making it easier for elderly donors to make contributions by offering payouts on gifts known as gift-annuities.
Tags: Contest entry; gift-annuities; anti-trust; donations; charities
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Court-Appointed Counsel System
WCVB-TV Boston reports that "A two-month investigation reveals gross waste and indifference in the court-appointed counsel system in Massachusetts. In family intervention cases lawyers, with no oversight, bill thousands of dollars on cases that never move forward. Lawyers routinely call in sick and yet never contact the court or their client in advance. WCVB uncovers an epidemic of lawyers who go years without ever seeing their clients. Many young clients languish in foster care due to their lawyers' inattentiveness. On the criminal side, dozens of lawyers, intended to be part-time, are hitting the $100,000 mark on cases where representation is unnecessary or redundant."