The State Public Defender Office

The Idaho Legislature created the State Public Defender (SPD) office in 2023 to consolidate all public defense in the State under a single agency. This was done to create efficiencies in the system and establish a statewide system with unified standards to ensure any person who is charged with a crime in Idaho and cannot afford an attorney will receive a robust Constitutional legal defense.

The SPD’s budget is funded by legislative appropriations from State dedicated and general funds.

Eric Fredericksen was nominated by a statutorily authorized committee and appointed by Idaho Governor Brad Little as the State Public Defender in September 2023.  The Office of the State Public Defender is comprised of the SPD and Alternate Counsel Division.  Employees are located throughout Idaho.  

Fredericksen is joined on the SPD administration team by Deputy Director Kathleen Elliott; General Counsel Brady King; Litigation Director Doug Nelson; Operations Director LaDonna Speiser; Communication Director Patrick Orr; Principal Financial Specialist Tim Hibbard; Principal Research Analyst Mark LaSalle; Case Management System Coordinator Rachel Burdick; and Training and Projects Coordinator Jennifer Cichocki.

The Alternate Counsel Division is run by Director Shannon Romero and Contract Coordinator Jared Ricks.

Litigation Director Doug Nelson will help manage Idaho’s seven District Public Defenders, who will help manage public defenders and staff in the 12 institutional offices across the state as well as a network of contract public defenders who work in the Idaho counties without an established institutional office.

Ada, Bannock, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Gooding, Jefferson, Kootenai, and Twin Falls counties have established public defender offices. Minidoka and Cassia counties have a combined office as do Power and Oneida counties.  Starting October 1, 2024, the SPD will contract with attorneys in the counties that do not have institutional offices.

For a full list, check out the  State Public Defender Act. A quick summary include:  Felony cases; misdemeanor cases, including appeals to the district court; Juvenile cases; post-conviction procedure act cases; Habeas corpus cases; civil contempt proceedings where incarceration is sought; child protective act proceedings and appeals from adjudicatory decrees or orders identified in Idaho Code 16-1625; and mental health commitment proceedings.

No. The SPD will manage Idaho’s public defense system with public defenders representing clients in all of Idaho’s 44 counties.  The SPD is just like any other law firm in that we maintain the confidentiality of client matters.

The Idaho Supreme Court has a statewide court information website called iCourts where cases in Idaho are searchable by name or case number.  Just select a county from the dropdown menu and “records search” under “Service” and press search. Select “Smart Search” at the bottom of the page. Be sure you have the correct spelling of the person you are looking up. Having a specific case number will make searching more accurate.

The Idaho Supreme Court has a statewide court information website called iCourts where cases in Idaho are searchable by name or case number.  Just select a county from the dropdown menu and “records search” under “Service” and press search. Select “Smart Search” at the bottom of the page. Be sure you have the correct spelling of the person you are looking up. Having a specific case number will make searching more accurate.

Only a judge will be able to appoint the SPD, if the judge determines the person making the request is indigent and that their case is eligible.  

If you want to have a public defender appointed, you can apply at the courthouse in the county where you are charged. 

Under the State Public Defender Act, HB 236 (2023), the SPD has been delegated authority by PDC to enforce their rules, which expire on Oct. 1, 2024. You can find them at https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/61/index.html.