The Public Defender Resource Center (PDRC) seeks to ensure that Illinois public defenders in the state’s 102 counties have a central place to connect, find answers to pressing legal practice questions, discuss developing legal issues, share resources, and cultivate community. 

Members include active Appellate and Trial Public Defenders, attorneys who are actively accepting appointments in indigent criminal cases, and retired Appellate and Trial Public Defenders who are not practicing or who are officers/board member of the Illinois Public Defender Association (IDPA), a non-profit 501(c)(6) educational organization for Public Defenders.

Please note that attorneys who seek membership based on accepting appointments will be contacted for the names, case numbers, and the counties of three Illinois state criminal cases in which appointments to represent indigent defendants have been accepted in the last year. Once that information is received, your application will be processed. Case information is subject to verification.

Member Resources

While some resources are available to the public, due to the confidential nature of the materials on the PDRC, only those intended attorneys are eligible for membership. These materials include Forums and the Document Library.

Forums are an opportunity to ask questions, discuss legal issues, and share resources. All members are welcome to join the Public Defender Forum, a space for all members to discuss a given legal issue. Other forums are available to discuss legal issues specific to the Judicial District where your county is located. Please note that you must be approved to join the Chief Defender and IPDA Board Member forums.

The Document Library contains materials submitted by public defender colleagues. While this site is provided as a service by OSAD, it makes no representations concerning the validity of these materials or their applicability to particular situations. You should exercise your own judgment in determining whether these materials apply to your case and whether to use them. Please note that published opinions available elsewhere should not be submitted to the library. In addition, copyrighted materials should not be submitted unless you have permission of the copyright holder.

Membership is free and must be renewed each year on March 1. Attorneys can register by clicking on the Member Signup  tab.