ArchCity Defenders

ArchCity Defenders is a legal advocacy organization in St. Louis, Missouri.

History

ArchCity Defenders was co-founded by three graduates of St. Louis [University School of Law] in 2009, modeled after The Bronx Defenders, to address gaps in civic and criminal justice services. ACD primarily operated on volunteer service and donated office space. They expanded operations in 2013 through a contract from mayor Francis Slay's initiative to end chronic homelessness.
In 2017, Blake Strode was named the new executive director after two years on staff through the Skadden Fellowship.
In 2018, ACD was awarded the Thomas Merton Award.

Activities

Between 2015 and 2018, ACD filed class action lawsuits against seven cities in St. Louis County for civil rights violations, reaching a settlement of over $20 million. Lawsuits describe the violations as a debtors' prison scheme in which plaintiffs were charged with minor infractions and held in prison when unable to pay cash bail without due process. In 2024, ACD produced a report on St. Louis municipal courts demonstrating the impact of reforms and presenting an argument for court consolidation.
In 2018–2020, ACD participated in the Close the Workhouse campaign.