About us

The Arkansas Public Defender Commission was created by Act 1193 of 1993, codified at Arkansas Code Annotated §§ 16-87-201 through -214, to address a myriad of problems and concerns related to the representation of indigent criminal defendants throughout Arkansas. The Commission consists of seven members, each appointed by the Governor of the State of Arkansas. That seven-member commission appoints an Executive Director to oversee the direct operations of the Commission’s attorneys, investigators, and staff.

The primary mission of the Commission is to assure adequate, effective, and zealous representation of all indigent persons who are at risk of loss of life or liberty in a court proceeding. Certain principles are necessary to accomplish that mission:

• We are committed to providing our clients the highest quality legal representation and to preserving and defending our clients’ constitutional rights.
  


• We respect the individual worth and dignity of each client.
  


• We are committed to a competent defense team, a goal that is realized by providing our attorneys and staff with significant opportunities for education and professional growth.
  


• We take pride in the Arkansas Public Defender Commission and the importance of what we do.