Iowa Office of the State Public Defender’s Des Moines Adult Division

The Iowa Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) has a divisional office in Des Moines. This office primarily coordinates services to adults seeking criminal defense in Des Moines County. The mission of OSPD is to ensure that all indigent persons in Iowa are provided high-quality legal representation in criminal, juvenile, and other eligible proceedings in the most efficient and fiscally responsible manner. The Office of the State Public Defender is responsible for coordinating Iowa's Indigent Defense System. The Public Defenders in the Adult Division are accountable for advocating for indigent adult clients in assigned cases at every stage of the criminal justice system. They appear and advocate in court at pre-trial hearings, bench or jury trials, sentencings, and other court hearings. Public Defenders also negotiate plea bargains, dismissals, or other dispositions of assigned cases with prosecuting attorneys. They further investigate facts and prepare defense for assigned cases to determine the merits of claims and appropriate course of action. If you have any questions regarding the services offered by the Iowa Office of the State Public Defender's Des Moines Adult Division, please contact them directly.