Oregon Public Defense Commission unveils plan to tackle public defense crisis

The Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) has released a 12-month plan outlining its strategy to reduce the number of unrepresented criminal defendants across the state.

The move follows a directive from Governor Tina Kotek, who has called on the agency’s interim director to develop a timeline and strategy for resolving the crisis.

Gov. Kotek fired Jessica Kampfe, the former head of the Oregon Public Defense Commission, in April.

"We need a system-wide conversation, but we also need immediate progress over the next three to six months. So we can get folks the defense they need, which is good for the system and good for the victims who have been waiting as well," the governor said when asked about what she would like to see from the interim director when he was appointed in April.

As of early May 2025, nearly 4,400 people statewide are awaiting court-appointed attorneys, many of them charged with low-level misdemeanors.

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: June 4, 2025, 3:00 am.

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