The Compendium of Standards For Indigent Defense Systems presents national, state, and local standards relating to five functions of indigent defense:

• Acknowledgements
• Welcome
• Introduction
• Standards for Administration of Defense Services (Volume I)
• Attorney performance (Volume II)
• Capital case representation (Volume III)
• Appellate representation (Volume IV)
• Juvenile justice defense (Volume V)

In May 2001, the U.S. Department distributed to state and local governments, legislative bodies, bar associations, courts and indigent defense systems its comprehensive national Compendium of Standards for Indigent Defense Systems. Prepared by the Institute for Law and Justice with NLADA assistance, the Compendium contains provisions from state and local indigent defense standards and guidelines around the nation, and is organized by subject matter (e.g., grouping together all standards relating to indigency screening, or capital defense experience requirements, from the various jurisdictions).