Shawnee County Public Defender and Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services’ Capital Appeals & Conflicts Office

The Shawnee County Public Defender's Office and the Capital Appeals & Conflicts Office of the Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services (SBIDS) is located in Topeka, Kansas. These offices provide criminal defense services to indigent clients residing in Shawnee County. A Capital Appeals Public Defender is appointed in cases in which the death penalty may be imposed and the defendant is unable to afford counsel, or on appeal, the court shall appoint the capital defender to represent the defendant. The defendant may apply for legal representation at state expense by submitting, to the court, an affidavit of indigency on a form provided by the board. The court shall determine if the defendant is indigent based upon consideration of the multiple factors. Factors such as the defendant's liquid assets, household income, federal poverty guidelines, the anticipated cost of private legal representation, and others are considered. In addition, the SBIDS designates the Conflict Counsel Office to provide indigent felony and related defense services for cases that a public defender's office cannot handle due to potential conflicts of interest. For more information on the services offered by the Shawnee County Public Defender's Office and the Capital Appeals and Conflicts Office, kindly contact them using the contact information listed here.