Free Justice: A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America

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By Sara Mayeux ’05

Published June 23, 2020

In Free Justice: A History of the Public Defender in Twentieth-Century America (UNC Press), Sara Mayeux ’05 delves into the socio-political causes and consequences of underfunded public defenders stretched thin under a staggering caseload. Mayeux provides a nuanced history of public defenders’ place in the American courtroom, illuminating its entrenched roots in a Cold War environment.

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PAW’s December 2025 cover, with a photo of Michael Park ’98.
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December 2025

Judge Michael Park ’98; shifts in DEI initiatives; a night at the new art museum.