NLADA has led the nation in the development of standards setting the minimum requirements for both public defense systems and individual defenders.

The following NLADA national standards on indigent defense include the black-letter only. Please visit the Defender Resources Publications webpage to order complete editions of standards, including discussion, commentary and references. NLADA standards are available individually, or in a 365-page single-volume compilation.

• Guidelines for Legal Defense Systems in the United States(1976)
• Standards for the Administration of Assigned Counsel Systems (1989)
• Guidelines for Negotiating and Awarding Governmental Contracts for Criminal Defense Services (1984)
• Standards and Evaluation Design for Appellate Defender Offices (1980)
• Standards for the Appointment of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases (1987)
• Defender Training and Development Standards (1997)
• Standards for the Defense: (National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, 1973)
• Model Public Defender Act (National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, 1970)

Additional standards that are available in separate volumes:

• Performance Guidelines for Criminal Defense Representation (1995; Second Printing 1997; Third Printing 2001; Fourth Printing 2006)
• Caseloads and Common Sense: An Update (1994)
• Case Weighting Systems: A Handbook for Budget Preparation (1985)