About MSPD
View MSPD Annual Report for 2023 (.pdf)
View FY2024 Legislative Budget Request (.pdf)
View FY2023 Public Defender Budget Request With Governor’s Recommendations (.pdf)
View FY2022 Public Defender Budget Request With Governor’s Recommendations (.pdf)
The Missouri Public Defender System (MSPD) is the organization responsible for providing legal representation to all indigent citizens accused of or convicted of crimes in Missouri.
MSPD is a statewide system primarily comprised of three legal service divisions: the Trial Division, Capital Division, and Appellate/Post-Conviction Division. Attorneys in district offices within each division provide direct representation to our clients.
MSPD employs about 615 people; approximately 395 of them are attorneys. They are assisted by support staff, paralegals, and investigators. In FY2019 the lawyers, staff, and contract counsel provided high quality, zealous criminal representation in 73,076 new cases. MSPD district offices are located throughout Missouri.
MSPD employees have opportunities to live and work in varied settings, from urban areas with diverse cultural opportunities and reasonable living costs, such as Kansas City and St. Louis, to the tranquility of a rural environment with limitless opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.
Training is a top priority for the Public Defender System, including a number of in-house cutting edge trial skills courses each year. Information technology capabilities allow efficient and effective communication. The resources and expertise of the whole system are available to each office, whether it is an office with two attorneys or twenty attorneys.