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Public defenders ask supervisors for emergency funding as caseload backlog grows
Summary
Deputies and staff from the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office told the committee June 24 that pandemic court slowdowns have produced a large trial backlog and ballooning caseloads, and they urged the board to approve additional attorneys, social workers and support staff.
Deputy public defenders and staff delivered repeated appeals for the Board of Supervisors to fully fund the Public Defender's Office, telling the Budget and Appropriations Committee that pandemic court closures left a substantial backlog and that new cases continue to arrive.
"The last two years have been very challenging for felony trial attorneys," said a recorded speaker, describing suspended speedy‑trial rights and a backlog that has increased caseloads. Multiple attorneys said they currently carry caseloads well above recommended standards, and they asked the board to approve funding to hire additional misdemeanor and felony attorneys, investigators, social workers and support staff to provide client‑centered representation and to support diversion and reentry work.
Public defenders emphasized that expanded roles — securing housing, connecting clients with treatment and coordinating with social workers under diversion programs — require capacity beyond traditional courtroom advocacy. They framed the investment as a public‑safety and fairness measure that reduces recidivism by addressing underlying needs.
Committee members recorded no final funding decision during the session; unfinished items were forwarded to the June 27 meeting for further deliberation.
