Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia Defender Services Office

The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia Defender Services Office is located in Washington, D.C. The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia Defender Services Office specializes in cases where adults and children face a loss of liberty. Public Defenders and private attorneys appointed by the District of Columbia courts pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) provide constitutionally mandated legal representation to indigent people facing a loss of liberty in the District of Columbia. The Defender Services Office (DSO) executes this function by determining the eligibility for the court-appointed counsel of almost every arrested child and adult and by coordinating the availability of CJA attorneys, law school students, pro bono attorneys, and PDS attorneys six days a week (Monday through Saturday), including holidays. The court appoints defense counsel prior to an arrestee’s initial court appearance, the work of DSO is vital to the overall functioning of the Superior Court’s criminal charging process. For further assistance, you should first contact the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia Defender Services Office.