News and Press Releases

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju's statement regarding the California Supreme Court's Kowalczyk decision, which affirmed that it is unconstitutional to keep a person in jail simply because they cannot afford bail.

Joining with public defenders across the country, San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju is calling on everyone who supports the Constitutional right to counsel to wear black on Thursday, April 23 to show solidarity with public defenders.

On April 10, a San Francisco jury fully acquitted 38-year-old Pierre Constant of all charges after he spent more than 18 months in jail for an attack in the Tenderloin he did not commit. SFPD officers arrested the wrong person, violated police body-worn camera policies, and mishandled the photo lineup in this case. Prosecutors also failed to turn over key...

On Friday, April 10, the First District Court of Appeal issued another order staying enforcement of the $26,000 contempt sanction against San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju imposed by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman. 

SAN FRANCISCO—On April 8, 2026, the Court of Appeal stayed enforcement of the $26,000 contempt sanction against San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju imposed by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman. The stay is in effect pending further action by the Superior Court which must first rule on challenges brought by the Public Defender before the matter can move...