Franklin County public defender describes casework, team approach and county benefits

An unnamed Franklin County public defender described the scope of their work, the office’s team-based approach and county employee benefits in remarks recorded in the meeting transcript.

The speaker said the decision to become an attorney began in school: “In seventh grade, I decided I wanted to be either a lawyer or a teacher. Wanting to be a lawyer was the one that stuck,” the public defender said. They described starting in private practice and later switching to public defense to help people regardless of their ability to pay.

The public defender said the office emphasizes supporting clients beyond court appearances. “This job is not just a matter of seeing them on court days and that's it. We meet with our clients behind the scenes … and also refer them to other resources in Franklin County so that they can overcome their present challenges,” the speaker said. The defender added that the office operates on a “very team environment,” noting colleagues “fill in for each other, support each other on the challenging days, and celebrate the wins.”

The speaker also summarized benefits available to full-time Franklin County employees, saying they are eligible for “a pension plan, paid time off, health benefits, tuition reimbursement, and much more.” The remarks included a reference to the constitutional right to counsel: “When you hear the constitutional right to an attorney if you can't afford one, that's what we were appointed for,” the public defender said.

The transcript contains description and personal perspective on the work and staffing environment; it does not record any formal motions, votes or policy proposals related to the office or benefits.