Albany County Public Defender

The Office of the Public Defender provides legal representation for those who cannot afford to hire private legal counsel in both criminal court and family court proceedings within Albany County. The Public Defender represents indigent individuals at every stage of the criminal proceeding process, from arraignment through final disposition, and when appropriate, appeals from adverse judgments and decisions.

Public Defenders zealously represent clients on misdemeanor and initial felony proceedings in 16 separate City, Town, and Village Courts, as well as all proceedings in Albany County Court. We also represent individuals accused of violating the terms of their probation or parole, and file appeals to the Appellate Division and the New York Court of Appeals. The Public Defender’s Office represents clients in Family Court for custody matters, family offense matters, violations of support obligations, violations of orders of protection, and in abuse and neglect cases as well.

The right to counsel is guaranteed by the United States and New York State Constitutions. Our goal is to provide our clients with truly competent legal representation, comparable to what they would expect from privately retained counsel. An individual’s constitutional rights must be protected regardless of their financial circumstances and we are dedicated to providing the highest quality legal representation as efficiently as possible.