Oregon Public Defense Commission

We are delighted to welcome Tiffany Ball as a new policy analyst in our compliance, audit and performance unit. Tiffany will help develop policies and processes for our agency. She previously worked for the Department of Public Safety Standards & Training (DPSST), the Oregon Department of Revenue and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Welcome, Tiffany!

?? Big news! ?? We've wrapped up our proposed budget for 2025-2027, which is based on the governor's recommendations. We've presented it to the Legislature, which will determine the final amount. Check it out at https://lnkd.in/gPmNRYB9. You'll find everything you ever wanted to know about us, including: ?? Legislative reforms to the public defense system ?? Our agency's various units ?? Our proposed investments that are above the current service level ?? A breakdown of our proposed 2025-2027 budget It's 749 pages! So grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and dig in! ?

It's time for our monthly commission meeting. Tune in via Zoom on March 26 at 9 a.m. The meeting will include a briefing about proposed changes to contracts with attorneys for 2025-27. We drafted these proposed policies using feedback from a meeting with contract administrators as well as input from the Oregon Judicial Department and the Oregon District Attorneys Association. We'll also hear a briefing from Hon. Rebecca Guptill, the presiding judge in Washington County Circuit Court. The agenda and materials are at https://lnkd.in/gPmkhTkk. Watch the meeting live at https://lnkd.in/eb6q4Aid or view the recording on YouTube at https://lnkd.in/gmme2weV.

For a third consecutive day, our executive director, Jessica Kampfe, appeared before the Legislature today to provide information to help lawmakers set our budget for 2025-2027.?You can watch the recording at https://lnkd.in/gqJmg6zH and view her slides at https://lnkd.in/gdAM9G6M. Topics today included: ?? proposed changes to our 2025-2027 contracts with attorneys ?? the different types of entities that provide public defense representation ?? our appellate division ?? our programs that pay attorneys hourly rates ?? how we find attorneys for in-custody, unrepresented individuals ?? our collaborations with courts, prosecutors and the Oregon Judicial Department ?? preauthorized and court-mandated expenses The budget hearing will resume on March 20 at 8 a.m., when the public will provide in-person or virtual testimony. You can register to testify or submit written testimony at https://lnkd.in/g4P4ryY5. Written testimony can be submitted until 8 a.m. on March 22. The March 20 hearing will be livestreamed and archived at https://lnkd.in/gcW2cynj.

Day 2 of our budget hearing before the Legislature has wrapped up. Our executive director, Jessica Kampfe, provided information to help lawmakers set our budget for 2025-2027.?You can watch the recording at https://lnkd.in/geFKdHwS and view her slides at https://lnkd.in/gdAM9G6M. Topics today included how legislative investments have been spent, the governor's recommended budget for OPDC, and policy packages. Director Kampfe's presentation will resume on March 19 at 8 a.m. It will be livestreamed and archived at https://lnkd.in/gcW2cynj. The public is invited to provide in-person or virtual testimony on March 20?from 8-10:30 a.m. You can register to testify or submit written testimony at https://lnkd.in/g4P4ryY5. Written testimony can be submitted until 8 a.m. on March 22.

Today in 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment gives criminal defendants who cannot afford a lawyer the right to have the state appoint one on their behalf. The landmark case, which was called Gideon v. Wainwright, led to the implementation of a vast public defender system at the state level. The case stemmed from a 1961 burglary at a poolroom in Florida. Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested and charged, based entirely on the report of a witness. Gideon could not afford a lawyer and requested the court to appoint one. His request was refused because Florida law allowed courts to appoint lawyers for defendants who couldn’t afford them only in death penalty cases. Gideon undertook his own defense and was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. He then successfully crafted his own appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was acquitted later in 1963 with the help of a court-appointed lawyer. So today, we commemorate #NationalPublicDefenseDay and recognize the importance of this watershed ruling.?#GideonDay

Our executive director, Jessica Kampfe, testified before the?Legislature today?to provide information to help lawmakers set the?agency's budget for 2025-2027.?You can watch the recording at https://lnkd.in/gg9R-Sq7 and view her slides at https://lnkd.in/gdAM9G6M. Topics today included: ?? a brief history of public defense in Oregon ?? our progress on implementing?legislative reforms ?? our strategic plan ?? results of legislative investments Director Kampfe will continue her testimony on March 18 and 19, starting at 8 a.m. She plans to talk about: ?? the governor's recommended budget for OPDC ?? policy packages ?? the different?types of public defense?providers ?? unrepresented individuals ?? our plans to buy?a financial and case management software system The presentations will be livestreamed and archived at https://lnkd.in/gcW2cynj. The public is invited to provide in-person or virtual testimony on March 20?from 8-10:30 a.m. You can register to testify or submit written testimony at https://lnkd.in/g4P4ryY5. Written testimony can be submitted until 8 a.m. on March 22.

We’re pleased to share our strategic plan for 2025-2031. You can view it at https://lnkd.in/gT-jRR9T. Commissioners approved the plan at their monthly meeting in February. It?outlines our goals and objectives aimed at: ?? Increasing the number of public defenders and non-attorney personnel in Oregon, such as paralegals, investigators, social workers and interpreters ?? Ensuring that eligible criminal defendants have effective legal representation ?? Strengthening our relationships with attorneys, investigators and other providers of public defense services ?? Enabling staff development ?? Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion ?? Creating a workplace culture that promotes trust, respect, equity and employees' well-being ?? Finalizing?the agency's integration with the?executive branch Our mission is clear: Continually enhance the statewide public defense system to deliver highly skilled, independent, timely, and client-focused representation to eligible persons. ?? We’re excited to implement this roadmap for the future of public defense in Oregon. Let’s do this! ??

Do you excel at leading teams? Are you interested in advancing the quality and effectiveness of public defense in Oregon? We're seeking a #manager for our Trial Support and Development unit, which ensures that providers of public defense services adhere to performance and qualification standards. Apply at https://lnkd.in/gRNygt_i. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. #LegalJobs #LegalCareers #LawJobs

Did you miss this month's commission meeting? Head on over to our YouTube channel where you'll find a recording of it. Just want the highlights? Here's a summary: https://lnkd.in/gNBsjsCG Topics include: ?? Contracts for attorneys ?? Review of policies ?? Qualification and performance standards for non-attorney positions ?? Qualification standards for attorneys ?? Legislative update ?? Efforts to procure a financial and case management system ?? Our strategic plan ?? A presentation by Klamath County's presiding judge ?? Commission vacancies