Honoring the Defender Association of Philadelphia on the 90th anniversary of the Association's founding and recognizing the contributions of the Association and its attorneys to Philadelphia's criminal justice system.

Honoring the Defender Association of Philadelphia on the 90th anniversary of the Association’s founding and recognizing the contributions of the Association and its attorneys to Philadelphia’s criminal justice system. WHEREAS, The Defender Association of Philadelphia was founded in 1934 by a group of local Philadelphian lawyers who were dedicated to providing quality legal service for indigent criminal defendants. Following the landmark Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, the Association accepted responsibility as public defender for the City of Philadelphia, working to ensure that all criminal defendants can avail themselves of the rights guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution; and WHEREAS, The Defenders Association of Philadelphia works diligently to provide high-quality legal representation to the citizens of the City of Philadelphia. Striving to support adult and juvenile justice, the Defender Association promotes courtroom advocacy and collaborates with vulnerable populations to ensure a fair and equitable justice system; and WHEREAS, For ninety years, the Defender Association has worked to vindicate the rights of criminal defendants in Philadelphia. With attorneys representing more than 70 percent of defendants in adult and juvenile state court, the Association plays an invaluable role in promoting justice in our City; and WHEREAS, In addition to providing legal representation to criminal defendants, Defender Association attorney…