Eastman Law Office, PLLC

Glad we could help! Thanks for the kind words.

I am the managing public defender for Pope, Johnson, and Franklin counties, as a part-time position. I take most of the Johnson County public defender felony appointments, along with a few cases in Pope and Franklin counties. My office houses the two Pope County public defenders as well as the legal assistants for the entire district. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires that a person be appointed a public defender when they have been charged with a crime and have been determined indigent, such that they are unable to afford an attorney. However, if a person has the resources to hire an attorney, they have an obligation to do so and the court does not have to appoint them an attorney. Thus, in addition to my public defender appointments, I also take private criminal defense cases throughout the district and the state. (However, I cannot convert a public defender appointment to a private case.) I represent all of my clients, whether appointed or private, with the same high levels of diligence and competence, and am proud of my reputation. I have taken both private and appointed cases to trial with positive results. As you can see from my website, I provide other types of legal services in addition to criminal defense.Our public defenders, as well as public defender legal staff, are all dedicated to defending and protecting their clients, and do a wonderful job of it, despite the enormous case loads. As a public defender, I have been able to gain experience defending against a wide array of charges and have seen an incredible variety of circumstances. These have proven extremely valuable in helping me take on and successfully defend and represent a variety of private cases. I would not have had the same experiences but for the opportunities afforded me as a public defender.As you look around to find the right criminal defense attorney for your situation, you will find that some of the best private attorneys were once public defenders.I believe that my experience and reputation speak volumes and I will continue to represent clients to best of my abilities.