AGENCY INFORMATION
Eligibility
You must first be determined eligible before the Office of the Public Defender can represent you. This requires an interview with an intake investigator. Bring a paystub to the interview. If you are receiving unemployment compensation, social security/disability or other public assistance bring proof to the interview. Eligibility for minors is based on the income of the primary custodial parent(s) along with defendants' income.
Public Defender Fee
There is a $50.00 fee assessed by the court for the services of the Public Defender's Office. This fee is paid directly to the court, not the Public Defender's office.
Things to Remember
Do not discuss your case with anyone except your lawyer, investigator
or other Public Defender personnel. Do not file motions with the court
on your own behalf or send letters to anyone about your case.
We do not have the authority to represent you on any civil matters such as child support or divorce. We also do not handle minor traffic offenses. Call the numbers listed in Contact Information for the county where your case will be heard, to determine if it is a matter the Public Defender's Office can handle before coming in for an eligibility interview. We do not represent clients in most Justice of the Peace Courts. Most of the time those matters will need to be transferred to the Court of Common Pleas for Public Defender representation. We do represent clients in a few Justice of the Peace courts so check with the court first. Do not transfer the case without first making sure it is a matter the Public Defender's Office has the authority to represent.
