Description of Office

NUECES COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH PUBLIC DEFENDER

The right to legal counsel is recognized in the 6^th Amendment of the United States Constitution, and the Supreme Court declared in Gideon v. Wainwright that all citizens accused of crimes have the right to an attorney - even if they cannot afford to hire one.

Nueces County ensures that citizens accused of crimes have an advocate through its court-appointed attorney system. Historically, this system consisted of attorneys in private practice that agree to be assigned to clients with criminal charges. Recently, the system expanded to also include a dedicated public defender’s office with attorneys that work only on Nueces County criminal cases for indigent clients. The Courts assign cases to both groups of lawyers on a rotating basis.

The Nueces County Mental Health Public Defender’s Office is the result of the county’s commitment to indigent defense and mental health. Created in 2022 with a grant awarded by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, the office includes attorneys, social workers, an investigator, and essential support staff to serve our clients in a way that recognizes the whole person’s needs in addition to the current legal challenges. The public defender team works to protect Constitutional rights, pursue justice, and amplify the voices of the poor and disenfranchised who encounter the criminal legal system.

If we are appointed to represent you, feel free to contact us by email or telephone.