But in 1977, Wisconsin established the independent Office of the State Public Defender to enforce the Gideon decision statewide. In 2020, it was raised to $70, then in the 2023-25 state budget the rate increased to $100 an hour. Meanwhile, the State Public Defender office is struggling to attract law school graduates who are discouraged by low pay and the demanding nature of public defender appointments while still paying off student loans. The future of the Public Defender Project, a clinic designed to prepare law students for a career in public defense, remains uncertain. This past budget cycle, the State Public Defender office proposed two budget items aiming to decrease the backlog and increase staffing.