Legislators hear that Oregon’s unrepresented-defendant backlog hit record highs; agencies urge budget and staffing steps

Salem — Officials from the Oregon Judicial Department, the Oregon District Attorneys Association and the Oregon Public Defense Commission told the Legislative Public Safety Subcommittee on Feb. 3 that a statewide “unrepresented defendants” crisis has reached record levels and will put pressure on next biennial budget planning.

The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) reported that, as of Jan. 29, 2025, there were 4,178 unrepresented people in 4,598 cases; the average number of days a person with a pending felony case was without an attorney rose 39 percent over the last year to 110 days. The courts’ statewide tracking dashboard shows the problem concentrated in Multnomah, Marion, Washington, Jackson, Douglas and Coos counties.

The situation is affecting courts, prosecutors, defense providers and community members, the witnesses said. “The bottom line is that the crisis has reached an all time high,” Nancy Cozine, State Court Administrator, told the subcommittee. She said courts are spending substantial staff time tracking unrepresented people and trying to find counsel.

Why it matters

Committee members were briefed on who is affected, what is driving demand and what the state has done so far: the backlog increases court workload and creates additional appearances for unrepresented people, strains judges and staff, and leaves victims and witnesses waiting for resolution. OJD and the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) said filings are rising and the Office of Economic…