Defense of Persons Accused of Crimes
The Office of the Public Defender defends persons accused of crimes in Santa Cruz County who cannot afford to hire an attorney to defend them. The public defense services that our agency provides are required by the State and Federal Constitutions, and we take seriously our responsibility to provide courageous, compassionate, client-focused representation to all our clients. In the handful of cases where we cannot defend the accused (for example, because we have a conflict), the Page & Dudley Law Firm or an attorney from the County's conflict panel will be appointed. We firmly believe that our clients are entitled to the same vigorous representation a client would receive if they could afford to hire an attorney at a respected private law firm. Our attorneys, investigators, social service caseworkers, and support staff have dedicated their careers to public defense and are honored to serve as defenders. If you or a loved one is represented by the Office of the Public Defender, you can expect skilled representation from a dedicated defense team.