Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act

# Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act (HR 7491) **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill aims to update legal standards for how defense attorneys represent criminal defendants in cases involving digital evidence and technology. It would establish new requirements and guidelines to ensure that defense lawyers have adequate training, resources, and expertise to handle cases that include digital evidence—such as cell phone data, social media records, cloud storage, and other electronic information. The bill addresses the reality that modern criminal cases increasingly involve digital evidence, but many defense attorneys lack specialized knowledge in this area. **Who It Affects:** The bill would primarily affect criminal defendants, defense attorneys, and the criminal justice system overall.

It could impact both public defenders (government-appointed lawyers for those who can't afford attorneys) and private defense lawyers by requiring them to meet new standards for digital evidence competency. **Current Status:** As of now, HR 7491 is in committee, meaning it has been introduced in Congress but has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. The bill was sponsored by Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA).