Departmental Overview

Office of the Public Defender

The reorganized New Jersey Office of the Public Defender has a number of totally distinct, unrelated functions, one involving criminal representations and the others involving civil representations.

The independent statewide Public Defender system provides constitutionally-mandated legal representation for indigent adults charged with indictable offenses and for juveniles charged with juvenile offenses.

All clients are assigned to the office by the courts.

Civil components of the Office of the Public Defender include law guardians who represent the interests of thousands of New Jersey children in child of abuse and neglect and termination of parental rights proceedings.

The office also has a division which provides constitutionally-mandated representation for thousands of individuals at voluntary and involuntary psychiatric commitment hearings.

It also provides representation for persons with developmental disabilities in guardianship matters.

The Office of Dispute Settlement provides a broad range of mediation services in disputes which frequently have regional and statewide impacts.

The Office of the Public Defender provides equal opportunity in employment and provision of services to all reguardless of race, creed, sex, national origin or disibility.

The principle office of the Office of the Public Defender is located at:

HUGHES JUSTICE COMPLEX
25 MARKET STREET PO BOX 850
TRENTON, NJ 08625