Northampton County public defender asks to make first-assistant role full time

Chief Public Defender Spillane asked the personnel committee on March 18, 2026 to convert the office’s first assistant position from part time to a full-time role, saying the change is necessary to strengthen the office, streamline case management and modernize services.

“I’m asking for a full time first assistant because my focus is on continuing to strengthen the office and to streamline the way we manage our cases,” Spillane told committee members. She described recent administrative improvements — including enabling online applications for clients and applicants — and said those changes have helped reduce staff burnout and improve client outcomes.

Spillane told the committee that if the county hires an outside candidate to fill the position it would create an estimated $22,000 change; she said an internal candidate is interested and that, according to Brandon Dunstane, the office likely would not go over budget in 2026 though 2027 might be affected. Asked how many staff work in the office, Spillane estimated "19, 20, something like that," then clarified the office includes four full-time public defenders, 13 part-time public defenders, three support staff and a client advocate.

Committee members pressed on operational details and diversionary courts. Spillane described a designated staff member, Nicole Gagliardi, who now focuses on recovery and mental-health courts to maintain continuity of representation and improve processing of applications. Committee member and chair of courts and corrections (speaker 4) said they would follow up to learn more about how the office interfaces with treatment and diversionary courts.

The transcript records questions and clarifications but no formal committee action on the personnel request during this meeting.