Dec. 15—COLUMBUS — Discussions are underway in Columbus that could lead to the creation of regional public defender offices across Ohio.
One of these proposed offices would combine legal representation of indigent defendants in Allen, Hardin and Putnam counties under one roof, according to people familiar with the matter.
However, a decision on that pilot project and similar proposals is still several months away. State’s Attorney Elizabeth Miller said earlier this week that a pair of task forces — one created by the Ohio Bar Association and another with its roots in the Ohio Legislature — have spent the past two years discussing various aspects of indigent defense and proposing some changes .
Allen County has had its own public defender’s office as of 2020, while Putnam and Hardin are among a group of about three dozen Ohio counties that rely on private attorneys to handle misdemeanor cases involving indigent defendants. Lawyers are appointed by regular judges of the pleas in their respective provinces.
A report written as part of Ohio House Bill 150, released earlier this year, included a recommendation for the creation of a pilot program that would establish public defender offices in multiple counties.
“It’s still very early (in the process), but we are in the early stages of a proposal to create a regional hub in Northwest Ohio,” she said.
Miller said her office’s biennial budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, submitted in September, included a new line item and a $3.35 million request to fund the Northwest Ohio Regional Public Defenders office. She said Gov. Mike DeWine faces a Feb. 3 deadline to submit his own biennial executive budget. If funds for the multi-county Public Defender’s Office are included in the governor’s proposal, the General Assembly would still have to approve the pilot project.
“I think we’ll know something in July when the state budget is finalized. My caution at this point is it’s still so early,” Miller said. “But I 100% support the concept of a regional public defender office serving Allen, Putnam and Hardin counties. If we can create greater efficiency for those three provinces, that is something I could support. And if that office is established and is successful, I hope to establish more regional offices in other parts of the state.”
Six Ohio counties have public defender offices that contract with the state, and a handful of counties have existing contracts with nonprofits. Auglaize, Van Wert and Mercer counties recently established their own offices to serve indigent defendants.
Kenneth Sturgill was named head of Allen County’s first public defender’s office in December 2020. Earlier that year, Allen County commissioners estimated the cost of setting up the full-time office would be between $970,000 and $1.2 million. County taxpayers would be responsible for at least 30% of the total costs, while the state would reimburse the remaining 70% of costs associated with the office, county officials said at the time.
Sturgill recently said he is “very excited” about the idea of establishing a regional office.
Judge Keith Schierloh of the Putnam County Common Pleas Court selects attorneys to represent indigent defendants by appointment. He said the concept of a regional office “has the potential to be something very good.”
Schierloh said he now has a “very limited” pool of about five attorneys, including two from Toledo, from which to choose for public defense services.
“Assuming the financing can be secured, this could be fortunate for everyone involved,” Schierloh said. “We want everyone who comes into our court to have the same opportunities, and this could be a win-win-win for many different groups.”
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