Public Defenders: State Directory
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated January 28, 2019
Although everyone has the right to legal counsel, not everyone has the means to pay for it. In order to better balance the scales of justice, and in response to a key Supreme Court ruling in favor of an indigent defendant unable to afford counsel, states began hiring public defenders, assigned counsel, and contract attorneys. States and localities use these methods of delivering indigent defense services either alone or in combination.
The following resources can help you find a public defender and learn about the rules and procedures in your state. To suggest a resource for this page, please e-mail us.
National Resources
- National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NADCL)
- Association of Federal Defense Attorneys (AFDA)
- Death Penalty Information Center
State Guide to Public Defenders
Alabama
- Shelby County Circuit Court Phone Directory (inc. Public Defender's Office)
Alaska
Arizona
- Coconino County Public Defender
- Maricopa County Legal Defender
- Maricopa County Public Defender
- Yavapai County Public Defender
Arkansas
California
- Office of the State Public Defender
- California County Public Defenders
- Federal Defenders of San Diego
Colorado
- Colorado State Public Defender
- City of Lakewood Court Appointed Attorney/ Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the District of Colorado and Wyoming
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
- Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
- Federal Public Defender for the District of Columbia
Florida
- Florida Public Defenders by Judicial Circuit
- Columbia County
- Hillsborough County Public Defender
- Martin County Public Defender
- Miami Public Defender
- Palm Beach County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida
- Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Florida
Georgia
- Georgia Public Defender Standards Council
- Fulton County Conflict Defender
- Habersham County Public Defender
- Hart County Public Defender
Hawaii
Idaho
- Idaho Office of the State Appellate Defender
- Elmore County Public Defender
- Gem County Public Defender
- Kootenai County Public Defender
- Minidoka County Public Defender
- Power County Public Defender
- Twin Falls County Public Defender
- Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho
Illinois
- Illinois Public Defender Directory
- Cook County Public Defender
- DeKalb County Public Defender
- DuPage County Public Defender
- Effingham County Public Defender
- Jackson County Public Defender
- Kane County Public Defender
- Montgomery County Public Defender
- Sangamon County Public Defender
- Whiteside County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the Central District of Illinois
Indiana
- Indiana Public Defender Council
- Allen County Public Defender
- Clark County Public Defender
- DeKalb County Public Defender
- Marion County Public Defender
- Monroe County Public Defender
- Tippecanoe County Public Defender
- Vigo County Public Defender
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
- Committee for Public Counsel Services
- Federal Defender Office for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
Michigan
- State Appellate Defender Office
- Livingston County Public Defender
- Washtenaw County Public Defender
- Federal Defender Office, Eastern District of Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
- Office of State Public Defender
- Jackson County Public Defender
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
- Box Butte County Public Defender
- Buffalo County Public Defender
- Lancaster County Public Defender
- Madison County Public Defender
- Otoe County Public Defender
- Pierce County Public Defender
- Platte County Public Defender
- Scotts Bluff County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the District of Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Public Defender
- Federal Defender Office for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
- New York State Defenders Association
- Capital Defender Office
- Albany County Public Defender
- Brooklyn Defender Services
- Broome County Public Defender
- Carbon County Public Defender
- Cayuga County Assigned Counsel
- Cortland County Public Defender
- Erie County Bar Association Aid to Indigent Prisoners Assigned Counsel Program
- Fulton County Conflict Defender
- Genese County Public Defender
- Harlem Neighborhood Defender Service
- Jefferson County Public Defender's Office
- Monroe County Assigned Counsel
- New York City Office of the Appellate Defender
- Oneida County Public Defender
- Orleans County Public Defender
- St. Lawrence County Public Defender
- Steuben County Public Defender
- Ulster County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the Western District of New York
- Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
- Ohio Public Defender
- All County Indigent Defense Systems
- Hamilton County Public Defender
- Knox County Public Defender
- City of Lima Public Defender
- Portage County Public Defender
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Allegheny County Public Defender
- Beaver County Public Defenders
- Centre County Defender Office
- Chester County Public Defender
- Clearfield County Public Defender
- Cumberland County Public Defender
- Delaware County Public Defender
- Fayette County Public Defender
- Greene County Public Defender
- Huntingdon County Public Defender
- Lancaster County Public Defender's Office
- Lawrence County Public Defender
- Mifflin County Public Defender
- Northampton County Public Defender
- Philadelphia Defender Association
- Susquehanna County Public Defender
- Westmoreland County Public Defender
- York County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
- Office of the State Public Defender
- Federal Defender Office for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
South Carolina
- South Carolina Public Defender Offices
- Aiken County Public Defender
- Charleston County Public Defender
- Spartanburg Office of the Public Defender
South Dakota
- Lawrence County Public Defender
- Minnehaha County Public Defender
- Pennington County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the District of South Dakota
Tennessee
- Blount County District Public Defender
- Public Defender of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County
- Knox County Public Defender
- Shelby County Public Defender
Texas
- El Paso County Public Defender
- Travis County Juvenile Public Defender
- Webb County Public Defender
- Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Texas
- Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
- Washington State Office of Public Defense
- Washington Public Defender Offices
- Pierce County Assigned Counsel
- San Juan County Public Defender
- Seattle and King County Defender Association
- Spokane County Public Defender
- Whatcom County Public Defender
- Cities of Kent and Seattle Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons
- City of Bellevue Public Defender
- City of Kent Municipal Court Public Defender
- Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Get Help From a Public Defender or Private Attorney
Any time you've been charged with a crime in which your liberty is at stake, like when you're facing incarceration, you'll want legal representation. In fact, it's your constitutional right to such representation. If you can't afford an attorney, a public defender or other legal professionals may be able to help. Contact a local criminal defense attorney to learn more about your options.
Next Steps
Contact a qualified criminal lawyer to make sure your rights are protected.