Vision:

The Public Defender's Office envisions a fair and equitable legal system that values the humanity of all participants.

Mission:

The Public Defender's Office corageously and creatively defends the constitutional rights of our clients, providing zealous legal representation, meeting the highest ethical and professional standards.

The Public Defender's Office provides a collaborative, innovative, fully-supported environment to advocate for systemic change in the driminal legal system and reduce the negative effects of the criminal legal system on our clients and their families.

Core Values:

Quality Services

We deliver legal services of the highest quality.  We provide uncompromised advocacy for our clients' interests.  We deal ethically with our clients, the courts, and all other representatives of the legal system.

Client-Centered Work

We respect the dignity and autonomy of all public defender clients and strive to build a community of advocates committed to learning each client's priorities in the representation and providing them the knowledge and information necessary to make informed decisions in their cases.  While we strive to provide guidance, advice and assistance, we do so without seeking to impose our own judgments.

Culture

We recognize that culture - a set of values and assumptions shared and internalized by all members of an organization - drives the way we view our work, our clients and our role in the criminal legal system.  We strive to build cultures that reinforce the importance of public defense and the dignity and humanity of those we serve.  We value creative and innovative advocacy.

Equal Justice

We value that everyone is treated fairly and represented by public defenders with the highest degree of passion, courage and commitment to their clients, their communities, and their profession.

Community

We strive to create a community where our staff work together to strengthen their skills, invigorate their commitment, support and inspire one another and build peer relationships that provide guidance and motivation.

Cultural Competency

We are committed to ensuring that our staff have the skills necessary to allow them to engage productively with the widely diverse constituencies with whom they work, including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, income, gender, sexuality and citizenshp status.

Inspired Change

We value and promote staff who advocate for change to positively impact their clients and communities.