IDEA Program
IDEA is a Pilot Project to provide supplemental pay to qualified attorneys who take court appointments in serious felony cases in Nashville. Metro does not provide equal and adequate resources to all people accused of criminal or delinquency offenses in Nashville who receive appointed counsel. While Metro pays about 75% of the annual Public Defender’s budget, it does not contribute any resources toward indigent defense services for people in Davidson County represented by appointed counsel instead of the Metro Public Defender’s Office. Because of this resource disparity, people with appointed counsel have worse case outcomes.