
Kentucky’s Public Defenders
Our agency’s mission is to provide high quality, client-centered legal representation to indigent persons of all ages, accused of crimes or facing a deprivation of liberty throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
If you are in need of our services, click the button below for information about obtaining legal representation.

Join Our Mission
Our Department is in search of dedicated defenders who can provide the highest level of legal advocacy to each of our 148,000 clients a year. We are committed to making the Public Defender’s Office the most professional public law firm in Kentucky. We recruit and hire candidates who are committed to quality ethical representation and improving the criminal legal system. We are seeking attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, alternative sentencing workers (social workers); administrative professionals and interns from both undergraduate and law school programs.
Latest Updates
- Derrick Howard Appointed Harlan Directing Attorney(3/1/2023) Derrick Howard received his B.A. in history from Alice Lloyd College in 2012 and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law … Read more
- Jason McGee Appointed Henderson Directing Attorney(3/1/2023) Jason joined DPA in 2008 as Staff Attorney in the Owensboro Trial Office. He grew up in Louisville and obtained an undergraduate degree in … Read more
- Lacy Andrews Appointed Danville Directing Attorney(12/1/2022) Lacy graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2010, where she participated in EKU’s Mock Trial Team program, and graduated with a degree in Communication … Read more
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