en español

The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of California was established in 1972, and is dedicated to the defense of clients charged with federal offenses who cannot afford to hire an attorney. The Federal Defender is authorized and funded pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act, ("CJA") 18 USC § 3006A, et seq. We are appointed to represent the accused upon arrest and through the completion of all appeals, including the U.S. Supreme Court and federal habeas corpus review. Charges we defend against include petty offenses, multi-defendant conspiracies, sophisticated computer crimes, international smuggling cases, economic crimes, child pornography crimes, drug offenses, weapons offenses, immigration offenses, and violent crimes.

The Northern District of California stretches along the coast from Monterey County in the south to the Oregon border in the north. It includes the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma.

We are committed to cultivating a culture of acceptance and connectedness that honors the diverse backgrounds of the people we represent.

We employ attorneys, paralegals, defense investigators, information technology specialists, and legal assistants. We work together to uphold every person’s right to be presumed innocent and to a fair sentence if convicted. We provide a vigorous defense at trial and, if the defendant is convicted, on appeal. We advocate for humane sentences by developing mitigation evidence and presenting judges with fully developed views of our clients as people, not criminals.

We subscribe to a client-centered approach to legal representation. We listen to our clients, pay close attention to their individual needs, and work closely with paralegals, investigators, and others to address a client’s circumstances. We use that knowledge together with our legal experience, skill, and judgment to fight for our clients and obtain the best result possible.

This website is designed to provide information for CJA counsel and our clients.