Orleans Public Defenders

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Who We Are

OPD's Client Services Division Honored for Excellence in Drug Prevention

: News; May 01 2015

CADA award reduced We're thrilled to announce the recent recognition of our own Supervising Social Worker, Ginger Parsons and the entire Client Services Division as the 2015 Excellence in Prevention honoree by the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for Greater New Orleans. The award recognizes a significant contribution to the field of substance abuse prevention in New Orleans and those who have had a positive impact on the lives of young New Orleanians by reducing their risk for substance abuse. CADA’s Executive Director, Joyce Bracey presented the award today at their annual award luncheon.

Led by Parsons, OPD’s Client Services Division is the only division of its kind in Louisiana and consists of 10 client advocates and 3 social workers, all tirelessly working to expand the reach of our community-oriented defense practice. In 2014 alone, Client Services assisted more than 13,000 clients and provided nearly 2,000 direct services.

Expungement Hour Now Every Month

: News; April 01 2015

expungement hour 2017 Our first Expungement Hour was a huge success! OPD and the Justice and Accountability Center will now offer the workshop the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 2pm in our office.

The workshop is free and open to the public for anyone wanting more information or needing help filing expungement paperwork in Orleans Parish.

For more information, see the flyer below or call: 504-821-8101 or 504-322-4050.

Rally to Free Bernard Noble

: News; March 03 2015

Bernard Noble poster with daughter OPD, Louisianans for Responsible Reform and others will rally for Bernard Noble, Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m.

Bernard Noble, a 49-year-old native of New Orleans and father of seven children, is currently serving 13.3 years for in the Jackson Parish Correctional Center in Jonesboro, Louisiana.

Response: Public Defender's Office Not Holding Up Its End

: News; December 22 2014

Chief Defender Derwyn Bunton responds to nola.com | The Times-Picayune contributing op-ed:

One of my law professors once said, "A little bit of legal knowledge is a dangerous thing." Another one of my law professors said, "Ignorance of the facts is fatal to any case." They must have foreseen Craig Mordock's opinion piece. So a quick look at the law is important.

Indictment of One of Our Own

: News; December 22 2014

Taryn Collage resize The indictment last week of one of our own is maddening and disheartening. Every day, each of us steps into the trenches: investigators, advocates, social workers and attorneys. We do so because we believe in the fight and because it is our job.

Taryn Blume is and has been a thoughtful, conscientious and hard-working investigator for OPD and our clients for 3 years. We don't believe she did anything wrong and are in full support of Taryn.

At our core, we are a family and we believe in our family. Taryn is our family; she is a sister to us. And we support our family and protect them, especially as the stakes rise and the condemnation mounts. We whole-heartedly believe in Taryn and all within our OPD family.

Ferguson, NYC, New Orleans and the Presumption of Guilt

: News; December 16 2014

"We at OPD are the everyday witnesses to the ordinary injustices taking place across the country and each day in New Orleans. In this moment we have an opportunity to shout from the dark at a moment when people are listening."