Umpqua Valley Public Defender

The Umpqua Valley Public Defender (UVPD) Office is located in Grants Pass, Oregon, representing individuals who cannot afford an attorney. With 12 lawyers, nine support staff, two investigators and 2 to 4 law clerks working at their office dedicated to defending people whose liberty is at stake. In Oregon, the right to a court-appointed lawyer extends to juvenile dependency and termination proceedings (when the state is trying to take away your parental rights), juvenile delinquency proceedings, contempt proceedings (where the accusation is that you violated a court order), probation violation proceedings, civil commitments, and to all misdemeanor and felony cases. However, UVPD only represents people by court appointment and does not take civil cases; we cannot advise you on civil matters. To become a client, you will need the Douglas County Circuit Court to verify your eligibility for court-appointed counsel. Public Defenders have an ethical responsibility to work for the best possible resolution of the case for the client. Therefore, all dealings between a court-appointed attorney and the client are confidential. If the court has assigned a public defender to your case in Oregon County, please contact the office head for assistance.