Orange County Public Defender

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Welcome to the Orange County Public Defender web site.

A voice for the poor, the Orange County Public Defender provides legal representation to those unable to afford a lawyer in criminal, juvenile, mental health and dependency cases.

First established in 1944, today over 185 Orange County Deputy Public Defenders, Alternate Defenders and Associate Defenders, with the support of Investigators, Paralegals and Clerical staff, provide legal representation in approximately 65,000 cases annually.

Deborah A. Kwast,
Public Defender

The Alternate Defenders and Associate Defenders are separate subsidiary offices handling cases in which the Public Defender declares a conflict of interest.

Recognized as a leader nationwide, the Orange County Public Defender safeguards the Constitutional rights of all by providing high-quality, cost-effective legal services to the indigent of Orange County.

It is our goal to provide helpful information about our office for clients and the public on this web site. Please e-mail us your comments and questions.

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