Public Defender
Overview
Mission Statement
To courageously defend the accused. To demand equal justice for all. To empower our clients with inspired advocacy in the courtroom and community. We are on a mission to elevate public defense, one client at a time.
Department Budget Overview
The Office of the Public Defender (PDO) provides services for clients that cannot afford representation, including defense of persons accused of crimes or facing involuntary commitments, and representation in specialty courts including Veteran Court, Behavioral Health Court, Parole and Reentry Court.
PDO provides holistic defense, including early representation, multidisciplinary defense teams staffed by attorneys, investigators, social workers and advocates, and seamless access to support services that address the root causes of system involvement.
Budget Summary
Department Budget Overview
Budget Summary of Changes
PDO is nearing the conclusion of its first year of operations. Initial staffing and budget were based on predictions, and the actual experience of opening and operating a County department has provided us new information about what we need to provide core services to the community. The PDO budget includes scheduled and negotiated salary and benefit increases and recommends continuing to build capacity through the net addition of 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions: an Attorney, a Legal Secretary, and a Clerk, which is offset by the deletion of a Social Work Supervisor. Additionally, PDO will continue its investment in early representation and holistic defense, attorney and staff training, advocacy for youth, and collaborating on reentry services for clients.
Open the Services Overview or Operational Plan Objectives below for more details.
Department Operations and Performance
Budget Details
The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.
Expenses by Service
Expenses and Revenues over time
Personnel Details
The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.
Footnotes
Indicates change from FY 2022-23 Adjusted Funded Positions (including Board-approved mid-year changes as of April 1, 2023).