Delaware Office of Defense Services

Official account for the DE Office of Defense Services — the Public Defender's Office and Office of Conflict Counsel. Zealous advocacy for the people.

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

Congratulations to those who passed the Delaware Bar! The ODS, ranked a Top Workplace by the News Journal for the last 11 years, is hiring. Hear from our attorneys about the impact you can make as a public defender and apply today at https://t.co/LxyteKwAcX.

[NACDL @NACDL]

Coley Harris of @DelawareODS offers reflections on 50 years of mass incarceration, the racial disparate impact of the CLS, and his office’s commitment & work to provide a path for successful reentry through expungements. #SecondChanceMonth #EndMassIncarceration

[Innocence Project Delaware @innocencede]

A great article by our friends at ⁦⁦@DelawareODS⁩ : https://t.co/GXgE5wyVAz

[Delaware Online @delawareonline]

The public defender office is seeking the public's help identifying "suspicious" encounters with a Sussex County police department.

       https://t.co/XPZxKaWxrE

[ACLU of Delaware @ACLUDelaware]

@CleanSlateDE kicked off Second Chances Month meeting with lawmakers to ensure all Delawareans have equitable access to a #CleanSlate!

Everyone deserves a second chance.
@CleanSlate_Init @DelawareODS @DelCen4Justice @DVLS_Delaware

https://t.co/lRg9sU0oyU

[Delaware Law School @DELawSchool]

The @delawareonline exploration of the most influential legal professionals in DE demonstrates the deep ties Delaware Law School has to the community. Read our take: https://t.co/gZJKlNMRLx

@DelawareODS @DECLASI @innocencede @StThomasLaw @ACLUDelaware

[Public Defenseless Podcast @PDefenselessPod]

Today, I spoke with three attorneys from @DelawareODS, @KevinOCDEPD, Misty Seemans, and Elliot Margules, to discuss the Delaware Law that keeps Police misconduct hidden from the public, Public Defenders, and Prosecutors

https://t.co/RFPuN99UPV

[Public Defenseless Podcast @PDefenselessPod]

To successfully combat this egregious secrecy, the @DelawareODS knew they could not simply fight for their clients in the four walls of the court room. To combat this systemic corruption, the office created a special litigation office that is currently trying to dismantle LEOBOR

[Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) @MarylandOPD]

In honor of Gideon week, @BmoreDefenders' @DebbieKLevi: Don’t ask a public defender about defending guilty people, ask how good it feels to defend the Constitution https://t.co/FAbP6VLbc4

[Delaware Law School @DELawSchool]

Reminder: tomorrow, March 17, the @DelawareODS, and the Delaware Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers join us to to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Gideon v. Wainwright at @DELawSchool.

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

Thank you Emily! The partnership with @PFJ_USA has taken ODS to the next level.

[Emily Galvin-Almanza @GalvinAlmanza]

You may often hear about the heroism of big city defenders, but don't overlook the brilliance in less highly- visible places. This perspective from the phenomenal Kevin O'Connell of @DelawareODS is a great look at a defender we at @PFJ_USA have loved working with since 2018!

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

We want your input on what the next 60 years of public defense in Delaware looks like. Food and drink is provided. Registration is optional, but encouraged. You can register using the link here: https://t.co/KO3B8otNyY

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

Join us next month to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that enshrined a person's 6th Amendment right to counsel. We're planning a whole slate of community-based events to talk about the future of public defense in #netde

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

The events include:
➡ A Town Hall with the Chief Defender to discuss the state of public defense in Delaware
➡ A Street Law Program
➡ A Know Your Systems Training

Come out and see us at the William "Hicks" Anderson Community Center in Wilmington, starting on March 14.

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

As Chief Defender Kevin O’Connell put it — “we are always one bad crime away from an impulse decision to bring it back.” We must ensure that the death penalty never returns and HB 70 is a positive step in the right direction.

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

Over six years ago, public defenders with the ODS successfully argued in front of the DE Supreme Court that Delaware's death penalty was unconstitutional. This legislation is much-needed and a first step to ensure that the barbarism of capital punishment never returns to #netde

[Delaware Online @delawareonline]

The state has no one on death row. Similarly, the state no longer sentences people to death. So why are state legislators preparing to once again talk about the death penalty?
https://t.co/QSBXW0g7P9

[Delaware Office of Defense Services @DelawareODS]

“This is not a political issue: it is ultimately a moral issue. It is a question of the dignity of man.” https://t.co/fkma1su3RJ

[Partners for Justice @PFJ_USA]

What does it mean to "empower public defense"? Well, to us it means that making sure anyone who faces criminal accusation does so with support, access to interdisciplinary help, and, most importantly, a team who *listens*. Here are a few examples from the recent days:

[Innocence Project Delaware @innocencede]

“In 2021, Ilinois and Oregon passed laws that ban police from lying to children and adolescents brought in for interrogation. In 2022, similar bills were passed by state legislatures in California, Utah, and Delaware.” https://t.co/I90pqMhxBQ

[Partners for Justice @PFJ_USA]

We are so proud to announce our 2022 PFJ Legacy Award recipient: the phenomenal Dawn Williams of @DelawareODS. Dawn, we are so grateful for your work!

https://t.co/4xbbQTIq4B

[National Legal Aid & Defender Association @NLADA]

We are excited to see how our newest @AmeriCorpsVISTA member, Dawn, will help build capacity at @DelawareODS! Learn more about the VISTA program: https://t.co/FnoykRmqPX