Frequently Asked Questions

What are Public Defenders?

The Public Defence Service is a specialist criminal law office headed by the Public Defender, acting for those charged with criminal offences who are entitled to legal aid. The Public Defence Service has cases assigned to it by the Legal Services Agency, just as the Legal Services Agency assigns cases to other privately employed lawyers who are on the legal aid roster, looking after people charged with criminal offences, who are entitled to legal aid.

If you are making application for Legal Aid, you are entitled to indicate whether you have a specific lawyer in mind to assist you, whom you nominate as your preferred lawyer or you leave it to the Legal Services Agency to appoint a lawyer. You are also entitled to indicate to the Legal Services Agency that you would prefer your lawyer to be one from the Public Defender’s office.

Phone numbers are (09) 302 1961 (Auckland) and (09) 261 2501 (Manukau).

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