Michigan was a 19th century pioneer in providing legal aid to poor criminal suspects.

Now, many critics say it has one of the nation's stingiest and most fragmented systems for representing the 80 percent of defendants who can't afford a lawyer.

The system often leads to people's convictions being reversed on appeal. One agency says Michigan could save $132 million a year in prison costs if it eliminated excess penalties judges impose because of poor defense at sentencing.

The state Supreme Court hears arguments next month on a class-action challenge to the system.

And the state House Judiciary Committee is drafting a bipartisan proposal to overhaul the indigent defense system.