What is the State Public Defender Office?

The Idaho Legislature created the State Public Defender (SPD) office in 2023 to consolidate all indigent public defense in the state under one under a single agency. This was done to create efficiencies in the system and establish a state-wide system of professional standards to help ensure any person who is charged with a crime in Idaho who cannot afford a defense attorney gets a robust and professional legal defense.

Who pays for public defense in Idaho?

The State of Idaho took over financial responsibility for public defense from Idaho's 44 counties in 2022. The SPD is paid out of the state general fund, which gives the residents of Idaho's 44 counties some property tax relief on the local level.

How will the SPD be managed?

Idaho Governor Brad Little appointed Eric Fredericksen as the State Public Defender in 2023. Eric runs the agency, which is comprised of an executive team in Boise, deputy State Public Defenders in all of Idaho's seven judicial districts, 12 county-based institutional offices, and a network of private attorneys who do public defense work in the Idaho counties without established public defender offices.

What counties have institutional public defender offices in Idaho?

Ada, Bannock, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Gooding, Jefferson, Kootenai, and Twin Falls counties have established public defender offices. The counties of Minidoka and Cassia - and Power and Oneida - have combined offices. The remaining 30 counties had contract agreements with private attorneys to do public defense. Those private attorneys now contract with the SPD.

How will the SPD manage public defense in a state as varied as Idaho?

The SPD will begin uniting public defense in Idaho with two specific strategies. By Oct. 1, 2024, all cases involving public defense will be entered into the Legal Server case management system - and all contract attorneys will be paid the same hourly rate.

Can I track specific public defense cases through the SPD?

No. Our agency manages Idaho's public defense system, not the cases themselves. Specific cases are handled on a county level.

How can I track the progress of active criminal cases in Idaho?

The Idaho Supreme Court has created a searchable state-wide court information website called ICourts (https://icourt.idaho.gov/) where all current and historical criminal cases in Idaho are searchable by name or case number. You can find that at https://portal-idaho.tylertech.cloud/odysseyportal. Please make sure you have the correct spelling of the person you are looking up. Having a specific case number will make searching more accurate.

How does the State Public Defender get assigned to a criminal case? Can I request a public defender?

Only a magistrate or district judge in one of Idaho's seven judicial districts can assign a public defender to a criminal case - and only if the judge determines the person charged with a crime is indigent. The only time someone can request a public defender is if they are charged with a crime and are indigent.

How does the State Public Defender get assigned to a criminal case? Can I request a public defender?

Only a magistrate or district judge in one of Idaho's seven judicial districts can assign a public defender to a criminal case - and only if the judge determines the person charged with a crime is indigent. The only time someone can request a public defender is if they are charged with a crime and are indigent.

SPD Leadership Changes | Idaho State Public Defender

SPD Leadership Changes

August 14, 2025 by Patrick Orr

The State Public Defender staff is excited about new leadership appointments in several of our institutional county locations, including new offices in Shoshone, Benewah, and Jerome counties.

The SPD’s new offices in Elmore, Jerome, Shoshone, and Benewah counties will increase high-level public defense service – and relieve the pressure on contract attorneys – in those growing areas of the state.

The SPD has hired Patricia Espeland and Clayton Andersen to be the Lead Attorneys for the Shoshone and Benewah county offices. Espeland will open the Shoshone office early September. Andersen will open the new Benewah office in early October. Both will work to fill out their staff while taking new public defense cases.

Michelle Agee has moved from the Twin Falls office and will take over as the Lead Attorney for the new Jerome office. Dave Stewart is moving from the Minidoka/Cassia office to take over as Managing Attorney for the Twin Falls office. Joseph Hurley is the new Managing Attorney for the Mini/Cassia office. That all happens on Aug. 18.

Peter Hatch started working as the Lead Attorney in our Gooding Office earlier this month. We expect to release information about our new Elmore office soon.

The SPD has openings across the state for trial attorneys who want to work with us to transform and improve public defense. Check the State of Idaho jobs page for SPD openings.

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