The Delaware County Public Defender Commission has employed neighborhood legal professional Carlos Crawford as the county’s public defender.
The general public defender’s business office delivers authorized representation in the county judicial technique for indigent defendants – individuals who are unable to afford to hire attorneys.

“My emphasis from working day just one will be listening to latest staff customers, county leaders and, most importantly, our business will emphasis on shopper desires,” Crawford, who began his perform with the county April 4, claimed in an April 5 news release. “Numerous indigent shoppers battle with psychological-overall health issues and substance-abuse problems, and we, as a society, need to emphasis on greater results for these men and women, and that’s what this workplace plans to do.”
“Mr. Crawford’s integrity, compassion and outstanding history representing felony defendants will deliver remarkable services to the place of work, the court docket process and the persons of Delaware County,” Melissa Knopp, the Delaware County General public Defender Commission’s chairperson, explained in the launch. “The general public defender fee is incredibly privileged to have employed an attorney of Mr. Crawford’s caliber, and we glimpse ahead to functioning with him.”
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Crawford, a previous member of the commission, has significant practical experience in the criminal court method, the county reported in the release.
He has represented indigent defendants as component of his non-public lawful apply in Delaware and Marion counties. He also managed a extensive spectrum of criminal matters, spanning from insignificant misdemeanors to big felonies in point out and federal courts.
Crawford is a graduate of Capital University Law School and resides in Powell. He succeeds John Cornely, who led the community defender’s workplace in its to start with year.
Citing a expanding caseload, the Delaware County commissioners in September 2020 reestablished the general public defender fee in consultation with the county’s judges.
Commencing in late February 2021, a staff members of five attorneys and two assistants was recognized, with the place of work reaching full staffing in August. They dealt with 935 conditions in overall in 2021. For comparison, in 2020, the county assigned 2,365 situations to nearby lawyers. In 2021, that quantity dropped to 1,780.
For far more facts about the office environment, phone 740-833-2780 or go to publicdefender.co.delaware.oh.us/.
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