Frankfort, KY (July 1, 2024) – On June 30, 2024, the Louisville – Jefferson County Public Defender Corporation ceased operations, and on July 1, 2024, the employees of that office joined the Department of Public Advocacy. The Louisville – Jefferson County Public Defender Corporation was the last remaining county-funded public defender office in Kentucky and provided lawyers for indigent criminal defendants for 52 years. The closure of the local office completes the unification of the statewide public defender system as required by House Bill 568, passed by the Kentucky Legislature on March 16, 2023. Public Advocate Damon Preston commented, “I have great respect for the leaders, attorneys, and staff of the Louisville Metro Public Defender’s Office and their service to the people of Jefferson County for decades. As that chapter closes, I am excited to welcome those employees into the Department of Public Advocacy, where we will continue the tradition of excellent representation in the courts in Louisville.” The DPA is the statewide public defender system charged with providing legal representation to indigent Kentuckians facing loss of liberty due to criminal allegations. For more information on the DPA, please visit: dpa.ky.gov
This release is a communication of the Department of Public Advocacy (“DPA”), which is established in KRS 31.010 “as an independent agency of state government, attached for administrative purposes to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.” The views or assertions herein are those of DPA, and unless stated otherwise, have not been endorsed by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet or the Governor.