Indigent Defense Capacity Building 

Our capacity building team works with counties, defense systems, and other stakeholders across the state to foster more robust advocacy on behalf of accused persons.

Working with Stakeholders

The Indigent Defense Improvement Division works regularly with counties across the state on their indigent defense services.

Panel, Contract, and County Leaders

The Office of the State Public Defender works with, and convenes, panel systems leaders and county administrators through virtual meetings and in-person gatherings to strengthen panel systems across the state. To participate in the virtual Quarterly Meetings for county administrators, data analysts, and panel leaders, please email capacitybuilding@ospd.ca.gov.

California Standards for Contract and Panel Defense Systems

In February 2025, OSPD released California Standards for Contract and Panel Defense Systems, a set of statewide principles developed through an 18-month research and collaboration project beginning with a live event, California Indigent Defense Summit. These guidelines combine national best practices with input from panel, contract, and county leaders across California and are designed to ensure quality representation, strengthen accountability, and help counties align with constitutional and ethical obligations.   The implementation guide was concurrently released to provide county administrators and panel leaders with practical advice and best practices from across the country.  

The Public Defender Shortage

Public Defender offices around the state face recruiting challenges. California’s rural and small counties face a particular shortage of attorneys, creating a crisis for the people who live there. IDID is working to increase the pipeline of public defense attorneys throughout the state.

Resource Guide for Public Defense Recruitment

Cover of California Commission on Access to Justice

External Report: Access to Justice Implications of the Rural Lawyer Shortage

Rural Defender Summer Internship Program

OSPD supports smaller public defender offices through a limited  internship program for law students interested in working in rural public defender offices.

Public Defense Mapping Project

California‘s 58 counties provide public defense in as many ways as there are counties. Pursuant to California Government Code 27700 each county designs its own local system.

As part of its mandate to support indigent defense in California, OSPD conducts periodic surveys of all indigent defense systems in California.

Read OSPD’s reports California’s 58 Public Defense Systems and A Snapshot of Indigent Defense in California to learn more about these systems.

Reach out to the Capacity Building Team

If you are a county leader or public defender interested in technical assistance for your indigent defense system or have questions about what we can offer, please use our Contact Us form to reach our team to collaborate, ask questions, or provide feedback.

Contact Us