Poster #117 - Examining the Relationship Between Private Counsel Representation and Plea Agreements in Maryland

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

A due process perspective of the criminal legal system assumes that individuals have fair and equal access to justice. However, practical considerations related to defense attorney workloads may produce differences in case processing and disposition outcomes between public defenders and private defense counsel. This study examines the relationship between legal representation by private counsel and the likelihood that a criminal case disposition is classified as a plea agreement in Maryland circuit courts. Utilizing sentencing data for guideline-eligible offenses from 2022-2023, the analysis employs a linear probability model to estimate whether defendants represented by private counsel differ in likelihood of plea agreement dispositions while controlling for individual- and case-level characteristics. Findings from this study contribute to research on legal inequality and the role of legal representation in case outcomes.

Author

• Dara Doane, University of Maryland, College Park