Virginia Indigent Defense Commission

[3] VIDC relies on a non-traditional "holistic" approach that also sees attorneys arranging social supports, addiction services and other assistance for those accused of crime, to reduce recidivism rates.

[5] Following the American Bar Association's "scathing report on the state of indigent defense in Virginia",[6] the VIDC was established by statute in 2004 and replaced the Public Defender Commission.

[2] In 2020, several VIDC employees attended a protest in Portsmouth and three were charged with felony vandalism of a Confederate monument, alongside state senator Louise Lucas, and three NAACP representatives.

[10][12] Cardwell determined that police went around prosecutors to file charges and attempted to prevent Commonwealth's Attorney Stephanie Morales from prosecuting the case by subpoenaing her as a witness.

[3] Timothy Coyne, the former Chief Public Defender for the Winchester and Front Royal offices, was named to replace Jankowski as Deputy Executive Director of the commission.