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

• Alaska Public Defender Agency
• Federal Public Defender for the District of Alaska

Arizona

• Coconino County Public Defender
• Maricopa County Legal Defender
• Maricopa County Public Defender
• Yavapai County Public Defender

Arkansas

• Benton County Public Defender
• Sebastian County Public Defender
• Washington County Public Defender

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

• Office of the Chief Public Defender
• Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut

Delaware

• Delaware State Public Defenders Office

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

• Hawaii Public Defender

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

• Office of the State Public Defender

Kansas

• Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services

Kentucky

• Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy
• Louisville-Jefferson County Public Defender Corporation

Louisiana

• Louisiana Public Defender Board
• Louisiana Appellate Project

Maine

• Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services

Maryland

• Office of the State Public Defender
• Federal Public Defender for the District of 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

• Minnesota State Board of Public Defense

Mississippi

• Office of State Public Defender
• Jackson County Public Defender

Missouri

• Missouri State Public Defender System
• Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Missouri

Montana

• Montana State Public Defender
• Federal Public Defenders for the District of 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

• Nevada State Public Defender
• Clark County Public Defender

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Public Defender
• Federal Defender Office for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island

New Jersey

• New Jersey Public Defender
• Federal Public Defender for the District of New Jersey

New Mexico

• New Mexico Public Defender Office

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 Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services

North Dakota

• North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents Commission

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

• Oklahoma Indigent Defense System

Oregon

• Oregon Public Defender

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

• Park City Public Defender

Vermont

• Vermont Defender General
• Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Vermont

Virginia

• Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
• Virginia Public Defender Offices

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

• West Virginia Public Defender Services
• First Judicial Circuit Public Defender

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin Public Defender

Wyoming

• Wyoming Public Defender
• Federal Public Defender for the District of Colorado and 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.