NOLA Defenders for Equal Justice

Election day is TODAY! Remember to vote! This is going to be a small election and every vote counts.

Polls are open from 7AM to 8PM. Vote Leon Roché for Section A!

What does a judge in Criminal District Court (CDC) actually do? We’re in CDC every day fighting for our clients—let us tell you!

A compassionate judge can make a world of difference for our clients. Make a plan to get to the polls and vote for March 25th!

We had a great time passing out leaflets in support of today! Not even a “beware of dog” sign could deter our determined canvassers.

Early voting is paused Sunday but resumes Monday, and the general election is on the 25th. If you’d like to hit the pavement for Leon in the coming days, shoot us a DM and we’ll get you connected!

Swipe to learn who we are and what’s at stake, then show up to vote for on March 25!

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WHO WE ARE: NOLA Defenders for Equal Justice is a group led by current and former public defenders who practice in the courtrooms of Orleans Parish every day, defending people who cannot afford to hire a paid attorney. We hope to use our knowledge of the ins and outs of the criminal legal system to educate voters, encourage our community to get involved, and campaign for transformative change.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: On March 25, the people of New Orleans will elect a new judge in Section A of Criminal District Court. Judges have an immense amount of power: from setting bail-bonds to discretion over sentencing, they are faced with choices that drastically impact the lives of so many in our city—particularly our low-income community members of color. In an off-year election like this one, turnout tends to be lower, and every vote counts. Together, we can put a judge into office who knows that Black lives matter and who will fight for equal justice for everyone. On March 25th, choose Leon Roché for Section A!

Swipe to learn why we believe Leon Roché is the right choice for Section A! As public defenders, we understand the value of a judge who has significant courtroom experience and who understands the community they serve. That’s why we support Leon Roché, a graduate of St Aug who has conducted over 100 criminal trials. Vote Leon Roché for Section A!

A little belated, but we just wanted extend our sincere congratulations and and to thank all of the canvassers, phone bankers, text banker, sign wavers, and even e-mail readers (we know there's been a lot), for all of their support, help, and passion over the last few months.

This past Saturday, after 17 years of a scandal-plagued jail run by a Sheriff who treated the people in his custody as less than human, New Orleanians said, Enough is Enough, and elected a woman who has promised much to change the culture and practices of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office.

Starting May 2022, Susan Hutson will be our Sheriff! With that comes the responsibility to treat the presumed-innocent human beings being caged in her facility as human beings, to provide them with appropriate medical care, to stop extracting wealth from them by ending the practice of charging exorbitant fees for phone calls or commissary, to give them sufficient access to educational and legal materials and to their attorneys, and, most importantly, to push for the decarceration of New Orleans.

We met with Susan during the election cycle, and asked her to make certain promises. Her answers can be found by swiping through this post. Our next job is to ensure that these promises are kept over the next four years, and beyond.

The fight continues!

NOLA Defenders is proud to have endorsed this year, and we’ve been proud to partner with some incredible community partners as we’ve canvassed, phone banked, and more. The polls are open for two more hours, so you still have a chance to vote for a candidate who will bring accountability and safety to the sheriff’s office!

A Susan Hutson win could give New Orleans — and the U.S. — its 1st progressive sheriff The result of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's election this Saturday could give the United States its first glimpse at a progressive Sheriff — or the city could return to its conventional incumbent, Sheriff Marlin Gusman, who has run a jail that has been shrouded in controversy since he overtook it i...

One last push, folks! Join us on Election Day, December 11th, as we get the word out about alongside some of our community partners who have been doing incredible work through this election season. Let’s work one last time to get out the vote and bring much-needed change to our community!

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves - every win the community has won has come in spite of the Sheriff, not because of him.

Years-long dispute over jail size a key issue in race for sheriff | The Lens Incumbent Sheriff Marlin Gusman has taken credit for reducing the jail’s footprint and population. But his record shows him frequently working to increase the size of the jail.