PUBLIC DEFENDERS OF OREGON
OREGON’S COALITION OF NONPROFIT PUBLIC DEFENDERS
WHO WE ARE
PROTECTING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF INCOME.
Public Defenders of Oregon is a coalition of 12 nonprofit public defense offices serving communities in 19 counties statewide.
Handling over 35,000 cases each year, we stand with Oregonians who can’t afford private attorneys in a system that too often fails them.
Our teams—attorneys, investigators, case managers, social workers, paralegals, and support staff—provide high-quality, cost-effective representation in everything from misdemeanors and felonies to juvenile, mental health, and restorative justice matters.
KEY STATS
450+ FULL-TIME STAFF
35,000+ CASES HANDLED ANNUALLY
SERVING 19 COUNTIES STATEWIDE
THE CRISIS IN OREGON’S
LEGAL SYSTEM
People are stuck in jail without representation, cases are delayed, and justice is denied while nearly 4,000 Oregonians are waiting for an attorney.
Nearly 90% of people facing criminal charges in Oregon cannot afford an attorney, and case filings are projected to climb over 20% in the coming years.¹
Oregon urgently needs more public defenders to keep pace with this demand and rising case filings.
But this problem isn’t just about public defense—it’s system-wide. Resolving the crisis requires thoughtful, broad-based collaboration from jails, prosecutors, public defenders, and legislators to keep fairness and due process at the heart of Oregon’s criminal legal system.
OUR SOLUTIONS-Based ACTION PLAN
We can fix Oregon’s legal system and ensure every person has access to an attorney, regardless of their ability to pay.
Proven solutions to fix Oregon's unrepresented crisis.
A Comprehensive Approach:
Immediate actions to strengthen public safety
Strategic policies for the 2025 Legislative Session
System reforms for lasting change
Building Oregon's Defender Workforce
Public defenders are essential to ensuring constitutional rights and protecting everyone in our legal system. Without them, wrongful convictions, excessive delays, and unnecessary jail stays become far more likely, with ripple effects: people who have been harmed wait longer for resolution, communities lose trust, and even short jail stays can mean lost jobs, housing, and broken families.
Nonprofit public defenders in Oregon are tackling the shortage of public defenders by recruiting, training, and mentoring nearly all of the state's new defenders:
Recruited and trained 160+ new attorneys since 2019
Brought in 115+ out-of-state attorneys to bolster our ranks
Partnered with law schools to handle hundreds of misdemeanor cases annually
But our efforts face a critical challenge: high turnover across public defense is made worse by significant salary disparities at nonprofits. Our staff—from attorneys to investigators to support personnel—earn up to 40% less than their counterparts at state agencies and district attorney's offices, draining experienced professionals from the system.
With adequate funding for new positions, fair pay for staff, and manageable caseloads, our cost-efficient offices can handle thousands of cases monthly while training dozens of new attorneys yearly—solving Oregon's defense shortage at its roots.
OUR MEMBERS
Our 12 nonprofit public defense offices form the backbone of Oregon’s public defense system, providing full-time, high-quality representation to communities across the state.
