Oregon’s chief justice has fired all the members of the Public Defense Services Commission, frustrated that hundreds of defendants charged with crimes and who cannot afford an attorney have been unable to find public defenders to represent them.
FILE - Courtroom notes showing that a Washington County, Oregon, judge threatened to hold Oregon Public Defense Services in contempt of court for not providing a public defender to a criminal defendant are seen in this May 4, 2022, photo. Oregon's chief justice has fired all the members of the Public Defense Services Commission, frustrated that hundreds of defendants charged with crimes and who cannot afford an attorney have been unable to find public defenders to represent them.
Oregon’s public defender system is the only one in the nation that relies entirely on contractors: Large nonprofit defense firms, smaller cooperating groups of private defense attorneys that contract for cases and independent attorneys who can take cases at will. The Public Defense Services Commission currently has nine members, in addition to Walters who as chief justice serves as ex-officio permanent member. Walters made the dismissals effective on Tuesday and said that if any members want to serve on a reconstituted commission, they should apply by noon Tuesday.The commission is an independent body that governs the Office of Public Defense Services and appoints its executive director.
“The commission has been working tirelessly on difficult issues and reforms,” Wax said. “Disagreement is inevitable. I was sorely disappointed to receive the chief justice’s letter.”“I never anticipated exercising this authority, but this issue is too important, and the need for change is too urgent, to delay,” Walters said.
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