San Francisco Public Defender's Office
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The San Francisco Public Defender's Office's is an agency of the Government of San Francisco. It provides legal assistance to individuals charged with a crime in state court who are financially unable to retain private counsel.
Courts within their jurisdiction include the San Francisco Superior Court, the California Court of Appeal for the First District, and the California Supreme Court. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office and the City Attorney of San Francisco prosecute alleged felony and misdemeanor violations of California state law that occur within the jurisdiction of San Francisco. Alleged federal law violations by indigent defendants are defended by the federal public defenders.
History
In 1978, Geoffrey F. Brown was elected Public Defender of San Francisco and was re-elected five times. During Brown's tenure, the Public Defender's Office grew to a staff of 83 attorneys and 40 support personnel.
In 2016, the office became involved in the Frisco Five protest. The San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi sent California Attorney General Kamala Harris a request that supported the protestor's claims of racism by the San Francisco Police Department,[1] and requested a civil rights investigation that would be enforceable.[2] After Gongora's death, Adachi was joined by District Attorney George Gascon, Mission District Supervisor David Campos, and other stakeholders to protest the lack of transparency and need for police reform.[3]
Current office
Jeff Adachi, the current Public Defender, is the only elected Public Defender in the state of California and runs an office of nearly 100 attorneys and 60 staff members, which has a $24 million budget. According to estimates, the office represents over 23,000 people each year who are charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses. The office is known for several innovative criminal justice programs, including Drug Court, Clean Slate expungement services, and a full-service juvenile division. In February 2011, Adachi appointed Matt Gonzalez chief attorney in the Public Defender's Office.[4][5]
Film
The office was featured in the 2002 PBS documentary Presumed Guilty, a film about the San Francisco Public Defender's office, its difficult cases and complex defense strategies.
Notable defenders
References
- ↑ Adachi, Jeff (4 April 2016). "Requesting investigation into racism in the San Francisco Police Department" (PDF). San Francisco Public Defender. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ Aparton, Tamara (5 April 2016). "Public Defender Requests State Probe Into SFPD". San Francisco Public Defender. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ Waxmann, Laura (13 April 2016). "SF Looks to State for Help with Reforming Police Policies". Mission Local. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ Coté, John (23 February 2011). "Gonzalez is defender's new No. 2". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ "San Francisco Public Defender's Office Leadership". Retrieved 12 April 2011.