ABOUT OUR OFFICE
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What is a Private Defender Office?
A private defender office is an alternative to a public defender office often referred to as managed assigned counsel office. Broadly speaking, a private defender is an attorney who represents a person accused of a crime and who has been found indigent by the Courts.
Article 26.047 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure defines a managed assigned counsel office as a program utilizing public funds from a governmental entity, non-profit corporation, or bar association under a written agreement with a governmental entity for the purpose of appointing counsel under Article 26.04 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (or Section 51.10 of the Family Code). Lubbock County contracts with the LPDO to administer and appoint counsel in all non-capital criminal cases.
History of LPDO
LPDO’s roots go back to 2008 when it became the first private defenders office in the state. At that time, the Task Force on Indigent Defense (now the Texas Indigent Defense Commission) awarded Lubbock County a four-year, state-funded grant for defense work. As part of that grant, the Lubbock Criminal Defense Lawyers Association established a non-profit corporation entitled the “Lubbock Special Needs Defenders’ Office.” The newly created office targeted the challenge of representing mentally ill offenders fairly and justly.
In 2011, the Texas Association of Counties recognized Lubbock County with a "Best Practice Award for Innovation" for teaming mental health caseworkers with specially trained attorneys, resulting in better outcomes for mental health clients and ultimately the county.
With additional funding awarded the following year, Lubbock County expanded the office’s scope to include all clients facing non-capital criminal charges, and thus Lubbock Private Defenders Office was born. Following Lubbock’s lead, in 2013 Collin County implemented a Mental Health Managed Counsel Program.
Today there are seven counties in Texas that utilize the managed assigned counsel business model.
Our business status
Nonprofit 501(c)(3)
Our business partner
Lubbock County Commissioners Court
Our staff & Associates
13 employees
70+ attorneys
50+ experts
Common Questions
What other types of criminal defense programs exist?
Types of Criminal Defense Programs
Every American citizen has a right to an attorney when accused of a crime. The most common criminal defense programs utilized in the state of Texas include: public defender offices, assigned counsel programs, managed assigned counsel programs, contract defender programs, and hybrid systems.
Types of Criminal Defense Programs
Indigent Defense Models
How LPDO (& the MAC model) benefits the community
LPDO strengthens criminal defense and alleviates the burden to Lubbock County by providing services such as attorney training and mentoring, investigators, references to qualified expert witnesses, and centralized voucher and payment administration.
A privatized model such as MAC provides balanced attorney caseloads, unbiased attorney assignments, dedicated attorney qualification and monitoring, more efficient case progression. Altogether it keeps the gears of criminal defense well-oiled to maintain smooth and expedient case resolution. Defendants and their community are witness to the transparent appointment process and higher quality representation, which boosts their trust in the justice system.
In addition to the benefits of having a privatized defense office, LPDO's mental health program combines legal representation with case management, treatment coordination, competency services, and community support. A case management team can address legal and nonlegal needs together, including housing, employment, benefits, substance-use treatment, immigration concerns, and family issues.
Fast Case Resolution
Fair Representation
Saved Funds
Saved Time
By operating independently, LPDO is able to provide more efficient and fair justice; ultimately saving Lubbock County funds by ensuring timely case resolution, decreasing the opportunity for appeals, and reducing the likelihood of attorney conflict.
LPDO's Model
Lubbock Private Defenders Office is a nonprofit managed assigned counsel office which contracts with Lubbock County to manage case assignments of our qualified panel of defense attorneys. Our panel attorneys are independent contractors, meaning they are not in-office and are at liberty to operate their own own practice outside of their assigned indigent cases.
Government Ties
The Lubbock County Commissioners Court and Office of Court Administration are LPDO's partners in assuring fair and timely justice is administered for arrests made throughout Lubbock County.
Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) oversees the expenditure and execution of indigent defense across the state of Texas.
