Department Heads: Kenneth Edelin (Major Trial Unit), Emma Reynolds (Municipal Court), Marit Anderson (Felony Waiver), Daniel Stevenson (Homicide/Special Defense)
Adult Trial Practice
The majority of Defender Association cases fall under the Adult Trial Practice Units: Municipal Court, Waivers, and Majors. The Municipal Court Unit handles preliminary hearings, misdemeanors, and some felony trials, the Waivers Unit handles most felony trials that go before a judge, and the Majors Unit represents clients whose cases are decided by a jury.
Appeals
Defenders in the Appeals Unit represent clients in Pennsylvania appellate courts and on occasion, the United States Supreme Court. Appeals attorneys have more than a century of combined practice experience.
Department Heads: Aaron Marcus, Owen Larrabee
Mental Health Division
Through the collaborative efforts of our Mental Health Division, hundreds of cases have been monitored for treatment with prosecution eventually withdrawn. Other cases have had non trial dispositions requiring mental health supervision and treatment.
The unit represents most respondents at involuntary civil mental health commitment hearings and fights for the rights of the mentally ill in its appeals from administrative and trial rulings.
Department Heads: Gregg Blender, Erica Hartwig
Motions
Our attorneys appear in Miscellaneous Criminal Motions Court and represent defendants in a variety of matters including: Bail petitions, Return of property, Habeas corpus hearings, Writ of certiorari hearings, Extradition hearings, Other miscellaneous motions and petitions.
The services in our Motions division are not limited to the above list. Please contact us if you have a unique matter that requires legal action.
Department Heads: Jordan Barnett
Pre-Trial
Through innovative programs like Early Bail Review – a part of the MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge, diversion programs, social services, and other connections, this team of lawyers, social workers, and other staff focus on reducing mass incarceration by supporting clients before trial.
Department Heads: Sarah Allen, Andrew Pappas, LaRue Worthy
Prison Services
The Prison Services Unit works in collaboration with Corrections officials and justice partners to address issues related to incarceration, support re-entry efforts, and coordinate Defenders’ work in county and state facilities.
Department Heads: Thomas Innes
Probation, Parole, Alternative Sentencing
Through collaboration with criminal justice partners, the unit creates, improves, and expands diversionary programs as alternatives to mass incarceration.
Attorneys represent clients at county and state detainer hearings and at county and state parole or probation violation hearings before judges and before the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. Defenders also support clients who currently on parole or probation.
Department Heads: Byron Cotter, Victoria Sanita
Special Defense Homicide
A highly-skilled team of trial lawyers, investigators, mitigation specialists, and administrative professionals make up the Defender Association Special Defense/Homicide Unit, which provides representation in high-publicity or complex cases as well as felony homicide and death penalty cases.
Department Heads: Daniel Stevenson
Social Services
Department Heads: Erica Berson