The mission of our office is to provide quality legal representation to those unable to afford a private lawyer in criminal, juvenile delinquency and child protection cases. Our vision of achieving equal protection under the law requires public defenders to be well trained, and have the necessary time and support to prepare a case for trial.  Today, too many find the constitutional rights of the poor to be inconvenient or inefficient.  Yet, not many seem to complain about the resources spent on making sure that the powerful and wealthy receive due process.  Justice, and justice for all people, will not be compromised while we guard the gate.  

"[I]n our adversary system of criminal justice, any person hauled into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him. This seems to us to be an obvious truth..."

— Justice Hugo Black for a unanimous Supreme Court in Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963

The Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office fulfills the government’s constitutional obligation to provide attorneys to people who cannot afford to hire private counsel.  The Office’s attorneys and support staff provide representation for any criminal case in Hennepin County, as well as representation of children in juvenile court and all parties in child protection matters.

For more information, visit the State Public Defender

Locations:

Adult Division
701 Fourth Avenue South
Suite 1400
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Juvenile Division
525 Portland Avenue South
Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Contact:

William M. Ward
Chief Public Defender
612-543-1311

Mary Moriarty
Adult Division Manager
612-348-8349

Lisa McNaughton
Juvenile Division Manager
612-348-4375