SF Public Defenders Office Says It Will Stop Taking New Cases, Amidst Budget Cuts and Fentanyl Case Overload

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office announced it will stop accepting new cases due to severe budget cuts and a surge in arrests linked to a crackdown on fentanyl. Public Defender Mano Raju expressed that the office cannot ensure quality legal representation for clients under these conditions. As a temporary measure, the office will decline new clients one day each week. Raju reported a 40% increase in felony filings compared to 2020, along with 200 more arraignments from January to April 2025 than in the same period last year. Mayor Daniel Lurie has mandated significant budget reductions for the Public Defender’s Office while the District Attorney’s Office seeks additional funding, leading to a resource imbalance.

The funding disparities between the Public Defender’s Office and the District Attorney's Office highlight systemic issues within San Francisco's legal framework. Matt Gonzalez, chief attorney for the Public Defender's Office, criticized the presumption of guilt reflected in the funding allocations for the criminal legal system. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to legal representation, raising concerns about the implications of these budget cuts on justice.