Representation

Representation in Court

The Public Defender Act requires each County within the Commonwealth to provide a defender with adequate staff and sufficient equipment to represent indigent people on:

  • Juvenile delinquency petitions
  • Pre-trial lineups
  • Preliminary hearings
  • State habeas corpus proceedings
  • State trials
  • Superior Court appeals
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court appeals
  • Post confliction matters
  • Extradition
  • Probation and Parole matters
  • Mental health proceedings
  • Any other situation where representation is constitutionally required

In addition to the services required by the Public Defender Act, the County requires that the public defender represent:

  • Children in dependency and adoption proceedings
  • Elderly persons on petitions brought under the Older Adult Protective Services Act

The state also requires that this office represent any inmate incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview who is currently involved in parole revocation proceedings.