The mission of the State Public Defender is to provide high-quality legal representation to indigent clients who are accused of committing crimes or involved in juvenile court matters. By specializing in criminal defense work and juvenile matters, the lawyers and support staff of the State Public Defender's Office represent clients at economical costs to the taxpayers.

The State Public Defender's Office includes an Appellant Defender Office located in Des Moines that handles indigent defense cases on appeal for the entire state. In addition, the State Public Defender has a contractual agreement with the Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide legal advice to inmates at the Iowa State Penitentiary in civil cases.

Visit the State Public Defender's home page to learn more about the role and functions of the Office. In addition, historical data regarding the Indigent Defense Fund, attorney caseloads, and the location of local public defender offices are available at this site.