How Public Defense Works in Oregon

Public defenders in Oregon represent people charged with crimes who cannot afford a private lawyer. Most trial-level defense here is not run by a single state office. Instead, a state commission pays and oversees nonprofit offices, groups of private attorneys and individual contractors, county by county. The offices on this page, from Portland to Coos Bay, are the local points of contact in that system.

The right to a lawyer comes from the Sixth Amendment, applied to the states in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), and from Article I, section 11 of the Oregon Constitution. If you face possible jail or prison time and cannot pay for counsel, the court must appoint one. Oregon also provides appointed lawyers in some non-criminal settings, including juvenile cases, many parent cases in dependency court, and civil commitment hearings.

The Public Defense Services Commission and Its Office

Oregon's system is overseen by the Public Defense Services Commission, created by the legislature under ORS chapter 151. The commission sits within the judicial branch rather than under the governor. Its staff arm is the Office of Public Defense Services, usually shortened to OPDS, which is led by a Chief Defense Counsel.

OPDS does two main jobs. Its Appellate Division handles appeals for people who were represented by appointed counsel. It also negotiates and manages contracts with the providers who handle trial-level cases in circuit courts across the state's 36 counties. Those contracts set expected caseloads and payment terms.

This matters when you read a directory entry. A name like Coos County Public Defender or Lane County Public Defender tells you where the office works. It does not always tell you who holds the contract behind it. Some are nonprofit law offices with salaried staff, while others are groups of private attorneys who share appointed cases. Funding and oversight come through the state commission either way.

Because the court appoints counsel, you generally cannot choose a particular office or attorney. A judge assigns your case to a provider under contract for that county and case type. If your case is filed in Hillsboro, you will be matched with a provider serving that court, even if you live in another part of the state.

Public Defenders in Oregon by Region: Metro, Valley, South and Coast

Where your case is filed shapes your experience more than almost anything else. Oregon's courts range from a large urban system in Portland to small courthouses where a few lawyers cover every kind of case.

Portland Metro: Multnomah and Washington Counties

The Portland Public Defender office is at 630 Southwest 5th Avenue, in Multnomah County. Its phone number is 503-225-9100. This is the state's busiest court system, and several defense organizations typically share appointed work there. The office that ends up with your case may therefore differ from the one you first called. Your arraignment judge or the court clerk can tell you who was assigned.

West of Portland, the Hillsboro Public Defender is at 400 East Main Street, in the county seat of Washington County. You can reach it at 503-726-7900. Hillsboro's courthouse handles the county's criminal docket, so cases from surrounding suburbs and smaller cities usually come through there.

Willamette Valley: Eugene and Salem

The Lane County Public Defender is at 1143 Oak Street in Eugene, phone 541-484-2611, and serves the Lane County court. Our directory also includes a listing in Salem, the state capital and the seat of Marion County. Both cities draw cases from surrounding small towns, so check the county named on your paperwork before you call anyone.

Southern Oregon: Jackson, Josephine and Douglas Counties

Three offices serve the Rogue and Umpqua valleys. The Jackson County Public Defender is at 604 West Main Street in Medford (541-779-5636), in Jackson County. The Josephine County Public Defender is at 215 Southeast 6th Street in Grants Pass (541-471-3363). The Douglas County Public Defender is at 1036 Southeast Douglas Avenue in Roseburg (541-440-4484). Mid-sized counties like these have far fewer attorneys than the metro area, so defenders often carry a mix of felonies, misdemeanors and juvenile matters at the same time.

Coast and Eastern Oregon: Coos and Umatilla Counties

Coos County has two listings. The Coos County Public Defender is at 465 Elrod Avenue in Coos Bay (541-267-2472). The Oregon State Public Defender is at 271 North Baxter Street in Coquille (541-396-3411), the county seat where the courthouse sits. Call ahead to confirm which office handles your case and whether it meets clients without an appointment.

On the other side of the state, the Pendleton Public Defender is at 331 Southeast Byers Avenue (541-276-0244), in Umatilla County. Eastern Oregon courts cover large areas with small populations. Lawyers there may travel between courthouses, so ask early whether phone or video meetings are available before a hearing.

Who Qualifies for a Court-Appointed Lawyer in Oregon

Eligibility is decided by the court, not by the defender's office. You complete a financial application listing income, assets, debts and household size. The judge then decides whether you can afford a private lawyer without undue hardship. Being in jail or receiving public benefits can strengthen your application, though the judge still reviews the numbers.

Oregon law allows a modest application fee, currently $20, and the court can waive or defer it if you cannot pay. At sentencing, a judge may also order repayment of some appointed-counsel costs if you have the means. If either charge worries you, ask the court clerk how it works in your county before you apply.

Ask for appointed counsel at your first court appearance. If you were released after a citation, you can also ask the circuit court clerk about the application. Do not wait for a defender's office to call you, because assignments start with the court. Bring these items to the hearing or to your first meeting:

What Oregon Public Defenders Handle, and What They Do Not

Appointed lawyers in Oregon handle felonies and misdemeanors, probation violations, and juvenile delinquency cases. Counsel is also available to parents in juvenile dependency cases and to people facing civil commitment. After a conviction, the OPDS Appellate Division handles appeals for eligible clients.

Public defenders do not take most civil matters. Divorce, custody disputes between private parties, evictions, debt collection and small claims fall outside their work. For those problems, contact Legal Aid Services of Oregon, the Oregon Law Center or the Oregon State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service.

State-specific rules also matter. Oregon was once one of only two states that allowed felony convictions on non-unanimous jury verdicts, until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the practice in Ramos v. Louisiana in 2020. Defenders who work in Oregon courts every day know these local rules, which is why meeting your assigned lawyer early is worth the effort.

Delays and Staffing Shortages

Oregon has struggled with a shortage of available public defense attorneys in recent years, and some defendants have waited for a lawyer to be assigned. Rural counties often feel this most. If you are told your case is waiting for an attorney, keep every court date, tell the judge you still need counsel, and write down each date you asked. Missing court can lead to a warrant, which makes any case harder to defend.

Public defender services in Oregon are organized either through a statewide public defender commission or at the county level, depending on the state's approach to indigent defense. Oregon's system determines how public defender offices are funded, staffed, and assigned, which can affect caseloads and services available at each location.

Public Defenders locations are available in 10 cities across Oregon. They are spread across 9 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of public defender offices include Hillsboro, Eugene, Grants Pass, where larger court systems generate higher volumes of criminal cases requiring public defense services.

Defendants in Oregon who believe they qualify for a public defender should not attempt to represent themselves in criminal proceedings. Requesting appointed counsel at your first court appearance is your constitutional right, and the process for establishing eligibility is handled by the court.

Public Defenders by Counties

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Individuals in Oregon who are assigned a public defender should make every scheduled court date, stay in contact with their assigned attorney, and promptly provide any information or documentation their attorney requests. If you cannot reach your public defender, contact the main office directly to ensure your case is properly managed before any upcoming hearings.

Browse Public Defenders by county across Oregon to find the nearest location.

Reaching Oregon Public Defender Offices: Practical Notes

Phone numbers and addresses in this directory come from public listings. Offices move and change their intake routines, so call before you visit. Ask the circuit court clerk to confirm which provider was assigned to your case, because the office you find online may not be the one handling it.

Many defender offices do not take new clients directly. Assignment usually starts through the court. If you are calling for a family member in custody, have the person's full name, booking details and the court where they appeared. Staff will normally ask for a case number before they can say anything about the file.

Appointments are made in the circuit court of the county where the case was filed. That means the courts in places like Coquille, Roseburg, Medford, Grants Pass, Pendleton, Hillsboro, Eugene, Salem and Portland, each tied to its own county. A person who lives in one county but was charged in another should work with the court and defenders in the county of the charge.

Once you have a lawyer, keep a folder with the attorney's name, your case number and every hearing date. Tell the office right away if your phone number or address changes. Defenders cannot help you if they cannot reach you before a deadline.

Ask for one at your first court appearance, called an arraignment. The judge will ask whether you want a lawyer and whether you can afford one. If you say you cannot, you will be asked to complete a financial application, and the court decides whether to appoint counsel. If you are in jail, tell the staff you need to apply. If you were cited and released, contact the circuit court clerk in the county where the case was filed. Do not wait for a defender's office to find you, because the court makes the assignment.

You do not pay an hourly rate to an appointed lawyer, but small charges can apply. Oregon law provides for an application fee, currently $20, which the court can waive or defer if you cannot pay it. At sentencing, a judge may also order repayment of some appointed-counsel costs if you have the ability to pay. The judge looks at your income and obligations before deciding. Ask the court clerk or your lawyer how these charges work in your county, and raise any hardship directly at sentencing.

Usually not. The court assigns your case to a provider under contract for that county and case type, and that provider chooses the attorney. The county where the case is filed matters, not where you live. If you live in Eugene but were charged in Medford, the Jackson County court handles your appointment, not the Lane County office. If you are unhappy with your assigned attorney, talk to the office supervisor first. Changing lawyers generally requires the judge's approval, so give a clear reason.

The Public Defense Services Commission is a state body in the judicial branch that oversees indigent defense under ORS chapter 151. Its administrative arm, the Office of Public Defense Services, contracts with providers for trial work and runs the Appellate Division. Your local office, such as the Douglas County Public Defender in Roseburg or the Josephine County Public Defender in Grants Pass, is your day-to-day contact. Concerns about your own case start there. Questions about statewide policy, contracts or appeals go to OPDS, and concerns about lawyer conduct may go to the Oregon State Bar.

Keep attending every hearing. Tell the judge on the record that you have asked for counsel and have not yet met a lawyer, and keep a written note of each date. Contact the court clerk for updates, since assignments are made by the court. Avoid discussing your case in detail with anyone but an attorney, including on jail phone lines, which are usually recorded. Oregon's attorney shortage has caused delays in some counties, but you still have the right to counsel, and a long wait can matter legally.

Often yes for criminal appeals and juvenile matters. The OPDS Appellate Division represents eligible people appealing convictions in state court. Appointed counsel is also available in juvenile delinquency cases and to parents in dependency cases where the state seeks to remove a child. Public defenders do not handle divorce, private custody disputes or evictions. For those, contact Legal Aid Services of Oregon, the Oregon Law Center or the Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral Service. Appeal deadlines are short, so act quickly after a verdict or judgment.