News and Press Releases

Los Angeles—The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office was honored with the prestigious “Champions of Public Defense” Award on Friday from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) for its work on behalf of bail reform. The award was presented at NACDL’s Race Matters II Conference in Los Angeles and recognizes “an individual or organization for exceptional efforts in making...

PUBLIC DEFENDER JEFF ADACHI SWORN IN FOR FIFTH TERM “We’ve come together on this special day/Send a message loud and clear”- Earth, Wind, & Fire San Francisco, CA— It might have been raining outside, but inside was all Earth, Wind & Fire as musician and singer Tasche warmed up the crowd gathered at the fifth inauguration of San Francisco Public...

Tenants’ Rights Attorney Finally Gets Justice San Francisco—A tenant’s rights attorney who fatally injured a man in self-defense in the Tenderloin was acquitted of on all counts today, Public Defender Jeff Adachi has announced. Carlos Argueta, 35, was tried for second degree robbery and murder after he became involved in a tussle outside a bar on Sixth Street in September...

December 14, 2018: A victim of an attack in the Tenderloin is acquitted for attempted murder San Francisco—A man who was jumped and beaten in the Tenderloin was acquitted for attempted murder on Thursday, Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced today. Cheasarack Chong, 29, was defending himself when he stabbed one of his attackers, Deputy Public Defender Crystal Carpino said. “Mr....

Patti Lee of our office’s Juvenile Unit spoke at a hearing this week about the need to pass legislation to strengthen the rights of children in SF that are arrested. The new law would expand Miranda consults for all youth 17 and younger who find themselves in a custodial interrogation by SFPD. “If we get this legislation passed, it will mean a...