Oregon’s Public Defense Backlog Persists Even as Ranks of Public Defenders Grow

Oregon’s public defense backlog persists even as ranks of public defenders grow

Six years ago, Oregon had one public defender for every 177 cases. Today, that figure has plunged to 93 cases for every lawyer and yet the number of unrepresented people accused of crimes continues to mount, a top Oregon Judicial Department official said Thursday.

Oregon Lawmakers Debate Legal Aid to Immigrants as Public Defense Crisis Spirals

Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that would provide $21 million to provide free legal aid to noncitizens and illegal immigrants. Senate Bill 703 would appropriate $6 million for nonprofits to help eligible immigrant families, such as those protected by DACA, to apply for legal status. Separately, House Bill 2543 would allocate $15 million to replenish the Universal Representation Fund. Established in 2022 under SB 1543, the fund has al…