Neighborhood Defender Service
Criminal Justice Reform
Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) provides the highest quality legal representation through community-based, collaborative, client-centered, holistic public defense. They pride themselves on providing low-income community members with exceptional legal representation, ensuring that the people they serve receive legal services that are on par with, if not better than, those provided by private counsel.
Grant Partner Since: 2024
NFL Funding Supports:
- Expansion of NDS Detroit's early entry and community legal advocacy program, which focuses on early intervention before charges and arrests are made. The grant funds the following four components:
- Community Intake: Legal services delivered outside of traditional court setting, connecting individuals to criminal, housing, and civil advocacy before their situations escalate.
- Police Lineup & Custodial Representation: Attorneys present at lineups and custodial questioning.
- Justice Outreach Fellowship: Justice-impacted community members leading outreach in neighborhoods that have historically had little reason to trust legal institutions.
- Know Your Rights & Community Law School: Legal education delivered through workshops, a digital library, and a summer Justice Community Event.