COLUMBUS — Discussions are underway in Columbus that could lead to the creation of regional public defenders offices throughout Ohio.
One such proposed office would combine legal representation for indigent defendants in Allen, Hardin and Putnam counties under one roof, according to people familiar with the matter.
A decision on that pilot project and similar proposals, however, remains several months down the road. State Public Defender Elizabeth Miller said earlier this week a pair of task forces — one created by the Ohio Bar Association and another with its roots in the Ohio legislature — have discussed various aspects of indigent defense over the past two years and have suggested some changes.
Allen County has had its own public defenders office since 2020, while Putnam and Hardin are among a group of approximately three dozen counties in Ohio that rely on private practice defense attorneys to handle felony cases involving indigent defendants. Lawyers are appointed by common pleas court judges in their respective counties.