In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that all defendants have a right to counsel, effectively establishing court-appointed public defenders. Fifty years later, a single public defender can expect to manage hundreds of cases simultaneously, each with life-altering consequences for the accused and, as the film reveals, the lawyers. Three young public defenders—Brandy Alexander, Travis Williams, and June Hardwick—are straining to cope with the administrative challenges heaped upon them by the criminal justice system, and the cumulative toll their jobs are taking on their personal lives. As the film’s subjects navigate and negotiate their endless caseloads, they seek help from the Southern Public Defender Training Center, which aims to ensure that public defenders do not succumb to the pressures that cause so many of them to abandon the calling. The motivation and mentorship the lawyers find in this community provides a measure of temporary relief, but is it enough to keep the soldiers of Gideon’s Army fighting the good fight?  TM

Moderated conversation following screening with filmmakers and special guests Brandy Alexander and Travis Williams