Press Release
Public Defender Fights to Protect Clients’ Rights During Strike
February 20, 2025
OAKLAND, CA – The Alameda County Public Defender’s Office filed two petitions for emergency relief yesterday with the Court of Appeal, demanding that the Alameda County Superior Court comply with the law requiring an official court reporter in felony court proceedings. The unlawful denial of a defendant’s request for a court reporter violates state law and the Constitution which guarantee an indigent person the right to an official court reporter in felony cases.
The Alameda County Public Defenders’ Office fully supports the workers’ demands for fair wages and working conditions but cannot ignore the risk to the constitutionally guaranteed right to a complete record of court proceedings. The petition filed yesterday asks the Court to honor its legal obligations and provide an official reporter – rather than relying on electronic recordings that risk inaccuracies.
“We stand in solidarity with the courtroom clerks and court reporters---they are the backbone of our legal system and need to be paid fairly and well trained. However, we also believe that no one should face felony proceedings without the safeguards provided by a qualified court reporter,” said Public Defender Brendon Woods. “Under California Law, an indigent person is entitled to an official transcript in felony matters. We filed this writ to ensure that fundamental rights – such as due process and equal protection – don’t become casualties of a labor dispute. This isn’t just about one case, it’s about ensuring that every person who steps foot in a felony courtroom – no matter their income – has the same opportunity for a fair hearing, a reliable transcript, and the means to appeal if necessary. We will continue to take every legal step available to protect those rights.”
For more information or to obtain a copy of the writ, contact Kathleen Guneratne, Assistant Public Defender, Law & Motion Unit, Alameda County Public Defender's Office, Kathleen.Guneratne@acgov.org
Download Press Release here.
Read about the strike here.
Influx of state prosecutors continues cycle of mass incarceration and will harm Black and Brown communities
OAKLAND – Using state lawyers to prosecute local cases will fuel mass incarceration and the further devastation of Black and Brown communities, said Alameda County Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods.
“They’re trying to use a band-aid to fix a broken arm,” Woods said. “More prosecution and more police is not the solution here. We need housing, money for community-based organizations, higher wages, employment, as well as money for our schools, medical care and mental health.”
Woods is responding to the announcement by California Gov. Newsom and state Attorney General Bonta that they are sending lawyers from Bonta’s office and the National Guard to assist prosecuting cases in Alameda County and Oakland.
“People turn to crime because they have a sense of hopelessness,” Woods said. “Locking them up, taking away their prospects for employment and making their families’ lives difficult actually makes our communities less safe in the long run.”
The Public Defender’s Office is not aware of a shortage of local prosecutors that preceded Newsom and Bonta’s announcement. In addition, no new state funding was allocated to the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office, despite the fact that increased prosecution will lead to more cases being filed and increased caseloads. The Public Defender’s Office budget is approximately $54.1 million per year; the District Attorney’s Office gets $96 million per year.
To read the full press release, click here.
To read a news article on the topic, click here.
Public Defenders Urge Legislature to Stop Governor from Cutting Successful Resentencing Program
SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND — Thousands of people who are eligible for release back to their families and communities will remain locked in California prisons if the Legislature approves Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to cut funding for public defender resentencing units.
Representatives from the offices of San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju and Alameda County Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods and others made comments March 16, 2023, at the California State Senate Budget Subcommittee on Public Safety, the Judiciary, Labor and Transportation session in Sacramento to urge legislators to preserve the funding. The Legislature is currently debating Newsom’s proposed budget.
The governor’s proposal would cut the third year of funding for the Public Defense Pilot Program, which the Legislature established in 2021 with Senate Bill 129. It set aside approximately $50 million each year for three years beginning in 2021, representing a tiny fraction (0.016%) of the overall state budget. County public defender offices across the state used that money to fund resentencing units, which employ lawyers, social workers and paralegals to review cases, petition local courts for resentencing, and connect clients to resources upon release, as well as represent some clients at parole hearings.
To read the full press release, click here.
To read an op-ed by Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods, click here.
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Governor Newsom Signs AB 1720, Reducing Unnecessary Job Barriers that have Long Held Back Qualified Caregivers with Records
On September 27, 2022, upon signing AB 1720, California Governor Gavin Newsom took an important step to reduce government barriers to caregiving jobs that frequently hold back qualified caregivers with past conviction records. The new law will require the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) both to streamline its process for workers with records to obtain an “exemption” to work in a caregiving facility and to remove unfair “candor trap” questions from its application forms.To read the full press release, click here.
Governor Newsom signs SB 1106 – The Fresh Start Act – Removing Restitution and Restitution Fines as Barriers to Record Relief
This bill will mitigate the harm of California’s restitution system--which burdens communities already profoundly affected by incarceration and keeps them indebted to the carceral system--and reduce state costs. Further, this bill also helps crime survivors, as many survivors themselves are impacted by restitution while also increasing the effectiveness of the restitution system writ large.
Click here to read the full press release.
Click here to read the full bill.