Champaign County Public Defender
Elisabeth R. Pollock
Our Mission
The Champaign County Public Defender's Office provides legal services for indigent residents of Champaign County. Our lawyers and staff zealously represent clients in criminal, traffic, juvenile delinquency, abuse/neglect and other matters when appointed by the Court. It is the mission of the Public Defender to provide empathetic and skilled representation to all clients.
About Us
The Champaign County Public Defender's Office is only authorized to represent clients when appointed by the Court. The Public Defender may be appointed in criminal, traffic, juvenile, abuse/neglect, mental health commitment hearings and contempt matters. The office employs 17 lawyers, an investigator, three legal secretaries, two mitigation specialists, a paralegal, and an executive assistant. The office also hires interns from the University of Illinois (law students, undergraduate students, and social work students). The Court appoints the Public Defender's Office but the Chief Public Defender assigns cases to particular lawyers. Lawyers are assigned to particular caseloads and courtrooms and clients do not get to choose which attorney will represent them.