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Public defenders and supporters urge Hampton to fund local defender office with $250,000 supplement
Summary
Multiple public defenders and community supporters told council Hampton is the only Hampton Roads city that does not supplement the public defender's office and urged a $250,000 city supplement to reduce turnover and caseloads.
Several public defenders and supporters told the City Council during the FY27 budget hearing that Hampton is the only city in the region that does not provide a local supplement to the public defender's office and urged the council to remedy that.
Matthew Johnson asked council for a $250,000 supplement to support "my office," saying other Hampton Roads cities provide similar funding. Senior trial attorney Daria described handling massive caseloads (she said she personally has 137 open cases and colleagues have roughly 80–100 each) and highlighted the behavioral health docket's recent successes. Public defender Zachary Hasson said turnover is driven by pay differences and estimated having handled about 500 cases in 2.5 years. Speakers said council should consider city supplements to retain attorneys and protect defendants' right to counsel; no vote was taken at the hearing.
