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Public defender outlines office workload: 12 staff, roughly 1,300 cases last year; majority resolved before trial
Summary
Franklin County Public Defender Casey told commissioners the office has 12 positions and handled about 1,300 criminal cases last year, representing roughly 70% of defendants and resolving about 98% of cases short of trial; the office also connects clients to services and participates in the Good Wolf treatment court.
Casey, representing Franklin County's Public Defender's Office, told commissioners Feb. 5 that the office is responsible for furnishing court‑appointed counsel to people who cannot afford private attorneys and for protecting the constitutional right to counsel in criminal matters.
Casey said the office consists of 12 positions — seven attorneys, one paralegal, one investigator and three legal assistants — and that it handled about 1,300 criminal cases in the prior year, down from a historical average near 1,700. "Many cases we are able to resolve through diversionary efforts at earlier stages before they move forward to the criminal courts," Casey said. The office represents roughly 70% of people charged with criminal offenses in the county and resolves the large majority of cases short of trial; Casey said the local practice aligns with the national norm that most matters are resolved without trial.
Why it matters: The public defender's staffing and caseload numbers bear on access to counsel, court schedules and local criminal justice outcomes. Casey highlighted that assisting clients with housing, mental health and substance‑use needs is part of the office's work to reduce recidivism and improve community safety. The office also participates in the Good Wolf treatment court for defendants with substance‑use disorders.
Casey referenced the U.S. Supreme Court decision Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), which established the right to counsel for defendants who cannot afford private attorneys, and the Pennsylvania Public Defender Act (1968), which created the statewide public defender system.
Commissioners asked about workload, trial frequency and retention. Casey said roughly 98% of cases are resolved short of trial and the office typically conducts only a handful of trials per year; staffing stability and the community‑oriented aspects of the work help retain attorneys, Casey said.
No formal action was requested or taken by the commissioners in response to the presentation.
