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Public Defender & Alternate Public Defender
Cases Handled -
Los Angeles County |
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The first
public defender in the United States, Walton J. Wood, began practicing in Los Angeles on June 13, 1913. |
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Public Defender
The Public Defender provides legal representation to all persons, including juveniles, who are financially unable to employ counsel in criminal proceedings. Services which may be requested by a defendant or ordered by a court include representation in criminal, juvenile, mental health and certain civil proceedings triable in Superior
Court. Limited appellate representation in the state and federal court system may also be provided while the
Public Defender is representing the defendant in the trial court.
There are 646 Public Defenders at work in Los Angeles County.
309 Public Defenders represent felony defendants, 253 represent misdemeanor
defendants, 65 represent juvenile defendants, and 19 represent mental health
defendants.
| Fiscal Year |
Felony Representations |
Misdemeanor Representations |
Juvenile Representations |
Mental Health Representations |
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2002-2003* |
89,086 |
420,854 |
38,300 |
11,964 |
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2001-2002 |
76,279 |
385,622 |
38,300 |
11,418 |
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2000-2001 |
67,469 |
382,688 |
40,452 |
12,657 |
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1999-2000 |
69,560 |
490,024 |
42,500 |
9,614 |
| 1998-1999 |
67,889 |
494,134 |
45,734 |
N/A |
| 1997-1998 |
68,576 |
495,281 |
47,120 |
N/A |
| 1996-1997 |
77,070 |
490,512 |
46,831 |
N/A |
| 1995-1996 |
78,985 |
499,447 |
52,050 |
N/A |
| 1994-1995 |
76,898 |
521,914 |
46,993 |
N/A |
Alternate Public Defender
The Alternate Public Defender provides legal representation to indigent defendants the Public Defender is unable to represent, due to a conflict of interest or availability, for court proceedings in Superior Court, and for appeals to higher courts.
There are 140 Alternate Public Defenders at work in Los Angeles County.
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Fiscal Year |
Cases (Felony & Misdemeanor |
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2002-2003* |
33,220 |
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2001-2002 |
29,854 |
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2000-2001 |
28,914 |
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1999-2000 |
28,433 |
| 1998-1999 |
32,599 |
| 1997-1998 |
32,842 |
| 1996-1997 |
31,611 |
| 1995-1996 |
33,231 |
| 1994-1995 |
22,346 |
*Estimated
Source: County of Los Angeles
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