County of Rockland, New York :: Public Defender

Coronavirus Update

Effective March 17, 2020 and until further notice, the County of Rockland Public Defender’s office will not be accepting walk-in interviews at their New City office. Any person requiring an interview may call the office at 845-638-5660 and speak with an attorney regarding their matter.

If your Justice Court is closed and you have an appearance ticket, you will receive notification from your Justice Court with your re-scheduled appearance date. County Court felony appearances have been limited to persons currently incarcerated in a correctional facility. All other felony appearances have been administratively adjourned by the Office of Court Administration. The Public Defender’s office remains open during regular business hours. All questions should be directed to the above phone number.

New Clients: To apply for indigent legal services, please complete the Rockland County Public Defender Intake Form

The Office of the Public Defender represents indigent persons accused of offenses and crimes in Rockland County at trial and other appearances in the local Justice Courts and County Court.

The office also prosecutes appeals on behalf of its clients to various Appellate Courts; represents clients prosecuted for parole and probation violations and appears in connection with extradition proceedings of persons accused of crimes out of state and arrested as fugitives in New York.

How Do I Obtain a Public Defender?

The Office of the Public Defender conducts interviews with prospective clients to determine whether they are financially eligible for representation.

No appointment is necessary. Call the office only at the times indicated below. We cannot conduct interviews at any other time. Interviews are conducted on a first come first served basis. Email or FAX a copy of your charges/tickets and any other documents received from the court and/or the prosecutor. Interviews cannot be conducted unless you provide us with a copy of your charges/tickets.

Clients who are under 21 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. The client must provide his/her financial information as well as the financial information of the parent/guardian.

File processing takes 48 hours. Please do not wait until the day before court to come for an interview.

Interview Hours:

Monday – 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday – 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday - 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday - 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Friday - 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.