About
This will be a day-long event, expected to convene legislative and government leaders at the state and county level, community-based organizations, policy advocates, academics, the press, public defense leaders, and key legal system stakeholders. The goal of the convening is to create a better understanding of how California provides public defense and ways to grow and support those systems.
Panels will address topics such as the role public defenders play in promoting equity, community trust, and safety, how California’s public defense fits into the national landscape, and how attorney and resource shortages impact Californians’ constitutional rights. The event will also closely examine the challenges faced by rural counties and the causes – and possible solutions to – geographic disparities in resources and outcomes.
Please contact events@ospd.ca.gov with any questions.
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