About Us
Wayne County's Indigent Defense Services Department (IDSD), formerly Office of Public Defense Services (OPDS), was launched in August 2020. IDSD is responsible for developing and implementing plans for compliance with the standards of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC). Approved standards include training of assigned counsel, ensuring counsel at the first court appearance, prompt visitation between assigned counsel and clients, access to investigators and experts, and most recently, independence from the judiciary.
More information about our teams and what they do can be found below.
Assigned Counsel Team
Attorney Qualifications
The Assigned Counsel Team is responsible for our Attorney Qualification Program. This program provides guidance on where to find information and registration for training which meets our qualification criteria, as well as information on how to report training in advance of the annual deadline, and information about the application process to become part of the indigent defense roster.
Attorney Qualifications Home
Second Chair
The Assigned Counsel Team also operates our Second Chair Program. The program aims to provide clear guidelines around what work constitutes mentorship, set a maximum quantity of pre-trial hours, and policies and funding for both lead counsel and second chair counsel compensation for participation in the program.
Second Chair Home
Defender Support Unit
The Defender Support Unit (DSU) enhances indigent defense in Wayne County by supporting a holistic, client-centered approach to legal representation, recognizing that individuals are more than the charges they face. The DSU promotes an interdisciplinary approach to legal advocacy by embedding Defender Support Advocates on defense teams to conduct mitigation investigations, facilitate release planning, connect clients to community-based services, and provide general case consultations. Our team is committed to centering each client’s unique story and addressing underlying needs to achieve better outcomes both in the legal case and in the client’s life.
DSU Home
Finance Team
The IDSD Finance team works to achieve the goals set out in Standard 3 and Standard 8 of the MIDC, including the timely and fair payment of the County's indigent defense attorneys, and Court experts and investigators. They are also responsible for the financial oversight of and management of grants awarded to the Department.
Information Technology Team
The IDSD Information Technology team is responsible for supporting the Department's day-to-day technology needs. They also help the County adhere to the MIDC Standards by supporting and developing a proprietary software platform that provides a number of functions related to the County's indigent defense operations, including billing, social support services, requests for investigation and expert services, and other tasks.
Investigator and Expert Program Team
IDSD created the Investigator and Expert Program in 2019 in partnership with the Third Circuit Court. The Program is funded through annual grants to Wayne County from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) and is intended to ensure compliance with the MIDC's Standard 3. This standard requires assigned criminal defense counsel to conduct an independent investigation of the charges and offense as promptly as practicable, and, when appropriate, request funds to retain an investigator to assist the client's defense.
IE Program Home
Careers
The County is always looking for qualified candidates to join our team! If you're interested in working with us please visit our job postings page to see what's available. Postings are updated regularly.