News and Press Releases

Apologies for the cliche, but there truly was not a ‘dry eye in the house’ at today’s moving Behavioral Health Court graduation. Clients shared their stories and struggles and received much deserved applause for their hard work. Public Defender Jeff Adachi said it best: “The Behavioral Health Court is an innovative model of providing critical wrap-around services to those who...

*** PRESS RELEASE ***  ATTORNEY ANDREW GANZ SUSPENDED FROM BAR FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT Justice may be blind, but she has very sophisticated listening devices. –Edgar Argo San Francisco – San Francisco prosecutor Andrew Ganz has been found guilty of prosecutorial misconduct through “clear and convincing evidence,” the State Bar of California announced on Monday. Specifically, Ganz is being sanctioned for...

SF Public Defender’s Office Wins NACDL “Champion of Public Defense” Award We are proud to announce that the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (or NACDL) has chosen our office for a Champion of Public Defense Award for our “exceptional efforts in making positive changes to a local, state, or federal public defense system,” according to Robert Toale, chair of...

  San Francisco– A woman wrongly identified as being a member of a “blessing scam” ring was exonerated on Thursday, October 18 after a jury found her not guilty of criminal conspiracy, Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced last week. Yiyuan Li, 61, was just about to board an airplane home for China this summer when she was arrested at the airport...

In celebration of Filipinx American History Month (FAHM) the SF Public Defender’s Office spent their Sunday learning about the roots and history of SOMA Pilipinas, the neighborhood where our office is located. With the help of non-profit community organizers like SOMCAN and SOMA Pilipinas the goal is to keep housing affordable for the indigent clients we represent in this neighborhood...