It is the mission of the Law Offices of the Public Defender to provide the highest quality legal representation to any person unable to afford it for criminal, juvenile, or certain civil proceedings. The Public Defender strives to preserve human dignity in all cases where citizens’ liberties are at stake. The department’s main divisions include Felonies, Misdemeanors, Juveniles, and the Investigative Bureau. Legal representation is provided for indigent defendants charged with felonies and misdemeanors, minors facing delinquency proceedings, and persons alleged to be mentally ill.
The Public Defender is headquartered in Riverside, with additional offices providing support to residents in Banning, Blythe, Murrieta, and Indio. The Public Defender has an annual budget of approximately $27 million and allocation for 130 attorneys and 114 support staff. It is the department’s goal to continue growing and meeting the needs of Riverside County’s rapidly expanding population. The Public Defender is dedicated to the principle that no citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without competent, professional, and vigorous representation so that due process is implemented fairly, equitably, and without prejudice. For more information, please visit http://publicdef.co.riverside.ca.us/