Work Units
Attorneys
When charges have been filed by the district attorney’s office and the case is referred to the Public Defender’s Office for legal representation, an attorney will be assigned to the case.
The attorney works up the case, requests and reviews the discovery, collaborates with an investigator, negotiates on behalf of the client with the District Attorney, and communicates with the assigned probation officer.
The attorney appears at all court dates, and the client is encouraged to contact their attorney with any questions or concerns.
If you are a client seeking to get in touch with your assigned attorney, you can find the attorney's contact information on the office's contact page.
Paralegals
A Public Defender paralegal interviews clients, either in custody or at the Public Defender Office. The paralegal will talk to the client about the facts of the case and the client’s background. The paralegal is part of the client’s defense team and everything disclosed during this conversation is confidential.
The paralegal helps the Public Defender determine if there is a conflict of interest and the case needs to go the Alternate Defender or Independent Defender Office. The paralegal also conducts a variety of tasks to assist the attorney in representing the client, such as requesting school, medical, and mental health records.
Social workers
An attorney may enlist the help of a specially trained Public Defender social worker to aid in advocacy for the client.
A social worker supports the client in many ways including: housing, educational and family support, mental health linkage, substance use treatment, homelessness resourcing, safety planning, school placement/advocacy, treatment placement coordination, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) consultations, and general assistance support.
Investigators
At the direction of the attorney, a team of highly trained investigators will work on the case and help develop a defense strategy. The investigator may interview witnesses involved in the police report and other witnesses that come to the defense's attention. They will also investigate crime scenes and evaluate evidence, among other investigative duties.
Legal clerks
The legal clerk prepares the client’s file for the attorney, processing and uploading discovery pertaining to the client’s case. The legal clerk opens and closes case files and sends out bench warrant notifications.
If you need to get in touch with anyone at the Public Defender Office’s, you can call this phone number (408) 299-7700..