What We Do

Felony Unit
Provides legal representation to indigent adults charged with felony violations.

Misdemeanor Unit
provides legal representation to indigent adults charged with misdemeanor violations.

Juvenile Unit
Provides legal representation to:
1.  Indigent juveniles charged with crimes; and
2.  Indigent parents in danger of losing parental rights through Child Dependency proceedings 

Civil Unit
Provides legal representation to indigents in Conservatorship proceedings as well as any civil proceeding where loss of liberty is possible.

The Alternate Public Defender, as the County's second Public Defender office, pursuant to Penal Code section 987.2, represents individual defendants in all the above cases in which the Public Defender office has declared a conflict of interest. The Alternate Public Defender is a separate division of the Public Defender and is staffed in Fairfield and Vallejo with attorneys, investigators, and clerical personnel to handle the caseload. Like the main Public Defender office, the Alternate Public Defender prove the crucible in determining whether charges are true in whole, in part, or at all. We believe it is an honor to serve our clients. Government Code Section 27706 defines the duties of the Public Defender. Generally, the Public Defender is responsible for representing any person financially unable to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any contempt or criminal offense triable in the Superior Courts of the County at all stages of the proceedings. The Public Defender also represents minors in wardship proceedings, adults in juvenile dependency matters through a contract with our Courts, petitioners for the restoration of rights, applications for pardons, persons alleged to be sexually violent predators (SVP's) or mentally disordered sex offenders (MDSO's), and mentally ill persons at hearings to determine their mental condition.