Kent County Office of the Defender

04/18/2024

🔥 ATTENTION ALL CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE! 🔥

Picture this: the government not only accuses you of a crime but also controls who defends you. How does that sit with you? How can we trust in a fair trial when the scales are tipped against us?

Kent County is aiming to seize complete control of its criminal legal system. They want to silence the NON-PROFIT Kent County Office of the Defender and replace it with public defenders on their payroll!

Join the fight for a fair and impartial legal system and make your voice heard at the County Commission Meeting.
TOMORROW MORNING (April 18th)
8:30-10:30am
County Administration Building, 300 Monroe Ave. NW

04/01/2024

How does the idea of the government both charging you with a crime and controlling your defense affect your trust in getting a fair trial? Kent County is attempting to take full control of the Kent County Criminal legal system. Meaning the County wants to directly control the legal representation of indigent citizens it charges with crimes.

This change will have a large impact on the community we serve. We are calling on all of Kent County, Michigan to share their voice and community organizers to spread the word.
https://forms.gle/tf9nDJagV12PGC8s7

Kent County is moving to create an in-house public defender’s office, ending its longstanding relationship with an independent nonprofit that has provided the service for decades.

03/20/2024

Kent County is moving to create an in-house public defender’s office, ending its longstanding relationship with an independent nonprofit that has provided the service for decades.

02/22/2024

Our very own Erin Phillips will be presenting at the CDAM Spring Conference! We are so proud to work with her and to have her share her expertise with the state!

Erin Phillips presents "The Colorado Jury Selection Method: Winning Challenges for Cause" during our Spring Conference March 8 & 9 at the Auburn Hills Marriott in Pontiac. This session will teach you how to draft a case critical question, how to identify impaired jurors, and how to use an individual’s life basis to get to the root of their legal impairment. Don't miss out. Space is limited. Register today. https://cdam.wildapricot.org/SprCon24/

07/14/2023

The Kent County Office of the Defender has had a busy and successful summer!

Congratulations to Erin Phillips and her client, Not Guilty of Operating While Intoxicated in Kentwood District Court!

Congratulations to Joe Klawiter and his client, Not Guilty of Assault and Battery in 59th District Court!

Congratulations to Alexandra Frisbie and her client, Not Guilty of Operating While Intoxicated in 63rd District Court!

Congratulations to Kati Hoekstra and her client, Not Guilty on two counts of Assault and Battery in Wyoming District Court!

Congratulations to Kati Hokestra, whose advocacy for lawful jury panels in Wyoming District Court resulted in a mistrial!

Congratulations to Cody Walker, whose advocacy in a Larceny by False Pretenses trial in Kentwood District Court lead to a lengthy jury deliberation followed by a declaration of a mistrial!

Our appellate attorney, Zachary Houghton, won an appeal in the Michigan Court of Appeals, confirming the prosecution's obligation to provide defense counsel with unredacted police reports. This published decision, People v. Antaramian, puts to rest what has been a systemic issue in Kent County.

Congratulations to Val Foster who had a Possession of Analogues dismissed at preliminary examination in 63rd District Court!

Congratulations to Amanda Heys and her client, Not Guilty on Receiving and Concealing a Motor Vehicle in the 17th Circuit Court!

Congratulations to Mike Anderson who got an Assault by Strangulation dismissed at preliminary examination in 61st District Court!

Congratulations to Kurt Oberholtzer, who got a Possession of Analogues dismissed at preliminary examination in 63rd District Court!

None of these successes would be possible without the hard work of our mitigation specialists and investigators.

Our office considers every day we appear in court, arguing to save days and years of human life from the carceral system, a victory. We are honored to serve our community.

03/22/2023

As public defenders, we carry within us the stories of tens of thousands of members of our community, and we are committed to telling these stories to effect real change. Today, attorneys and mitigation specialists from our office took to the Capitol to advocate for changes in the law that would make holistic defense more accessible to clients across the State of Michigan.

Thank you to Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan for providing the opportunity, and thank you to our attorneys and mitigation specialists who proved today that KCOD’s advocacy for our clients and community doesn’t stop at the courtroom.

11/03/2022

We are hiring!

We are a close-knit, client-centered office that is rapidly growing. We have embraced the holistic defense model and are committed to high-quality representation of the indigent members of our community. If you are looking to work with highly motivated and passionate public defenders, the Kent County Office of the Defender is the place to be!

ANNOUNCEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
KENT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE DEFENDER
POSITION: Attorney
Starting Salary Range: $63,000 - $70,000 plus benefits

GENERAL SUMMARY:
Provides court appointed indigent defense services within Kent County Courts for adult trial services. The attorney carries a full caseload as determined by the Director. This position will primarily represent clients in one of the District Courts that are charged with misdemeanors and probation violations. The position could
include representing clients in Circuit Court charged with felonies, depending on experience.

REQUIREMENTS:
Attorney licensed to practice law in Michigan Courts. Must be active and in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan.

TYPICAL DUTIES:
1. Reviews charging instruments, police reports, and other discovery provided by the Prosecution.
2. Promptly meets with clients and learns the client’s goals for the
representation and any special needs of the client.
3. Determines what further fact investigation to undertake and directs that investigation, including the identification, consultation and hiring of applicable experts as approved by the Director.
4. Determines what legal issues need development, researches those issues, and presents them in the appropriate forum.
5. Negotiates with the Prosecution and promptly advises the client of the status of those negotiations.
6. Litigates any legal issues that are necessary and appropriate, including bringing cases to trial, handling probation violations and regularly assigned duties at first appearance.
7. Conducts any post-trial litigation necessary such as sentencing and post-trial motions (excluding appeals).
8. Maintains availability to other staff members for consultation and
education; participates in training programs; maintains current
knowledge of appropriate support functions, including participation in training and mentoring other attorneys as directed.
9. Maintains accurate, complete and legible case files.
10. Perform other attorney functions as assigned, including
arraignments, show cause hearings, and others as assigned.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
1. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with a variety of people from divergent backgrounds.
2. Ability to operate typical office equipment and technology such as phones, computer, fax, calculator, printer, copier, scanner, digital
video and digital cameras.
3. Must maintain regular, reliable and predictable attendance
4. Must have access to reliable personal transportation in order to travel to other courts, access clients and witnesses in correctional facilities, or any other job-related necessity.

NOTE:
The successful candidate will model the following attributes:
1. Ability to deal effectively with people of widely divergent backgrounds, within and outside the office, and to relate empathetically to clients and their special needs.
2. Exercise common sense and good judgment
3. Learn quickly and function efficiently under stressful and distracting conditions
4. Accept direction and follow office policies and procedures
5. Work independently as well as cooperatively in a legal services team atmosphere

SPECIAL NOTE:
Attorneys may not practice law for compensation outside of the Kent County Office of the Defender during the term of their employment. Permission of the Director is required to be actively involved in representation on a pro bono basis.
This description is intended to describe the type and level of work to be performed by a person assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter describing your
interest in indigent defense to:
Kent County Office of the Defender, 146 Monroe Center NW Suite 920, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, in person, by mail, or email to: [email protected].

DEADLINE TO APPLY: 11/15/2022

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

10/13/2022

A reminder as we approach election day!!

If you’re released from jail or prison you can vote!

If you’re on probation, parole, or tether you can vote!

If you’re in jail awaiting trial, YOU CAN VOTE

09/30/2022

today is Orange Shirt Day; a day of remembrance for the thousands of indigenous children across the US and Canada who suffered or were lost at the hands of our federal governments at Residential Schools, brutal institutions which stripped these indigenous children of their languages and culture, as well as basic rights to individual expression, in a deliberate attempt to end North American indigeniety. Residential school survivors and their descendants remain deeply affected today by PTSD, substance abuse and mental health disorders, and poverty.

As public defenders, we represent people who interact daily with traumatizing and dehumanizing systems of incarceration, which have historically been and remain levied disproportionately against Indigenous people. Michigan has the highest percent Indigenous population of any state east of the Mississippi River; Anishinaabe people are a significant, vital part of the public we serve. We recognize the multigenerational traumatic results of racist government violence and stand in solidarity with survivors and their descendants. If you are able and so moved, consider donating to residential school survivors or an indigenous charity in memory of the genocidal loss that is still felt today.

Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in May 2013. This...

08/25/2022

After seeing a need in our community, our intrepid investigator Tiffany, (with the assistance of a member of our support staff, Gaby) organized a lunch giveaway for our community members in need of a meal. We are so proud of all our employees who care so much for the people we serve. Thank you, Tiffany!! Stop by Rosa Parks Circle and say hi!