- Departments
- Public Defenders Office
Public Defenders Office
By the authority of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, the Public Defender Office was created by Resolution Number C1610291 dated October 13, 2016. The office has been staffed and operational since January 1, 2017.
The office is staffed by a team of Public Defenders, as well as a roster of independent conflict panel defense attorneys committed to the Standards for Indigent Defense as provided by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.
Our interdisciplinary team of professionals adhere to the holistic defense model, providing not only the highest quality representation for our clients as they face criminal charges, but also seeking to obtain the best possible outcomes for clients by providing social support and connecting clients with local social support services.
Request for Appointment of Counsel
To request appointment of counsel, the form below may be utilized. The Request for Appointment of Counsel form may be downloaded, printed and filled out or electronically filled out, and submitted either in person, by mail, or email (see the notice below).
Notice |
If submitting this form via email, please protect your personal information and send this form via a secure and encrypted method and send to our office at requestattorney@berriencounty.org. |
Public Defenders
Paul Jancha Jr, Chief Public Defender
Kaitlin Locke, Chief Assistant Public Defender
Carri Briseno, Assistant Public Defender
Ellen Christie, Assistant Public Defender
Erika Damstetter, Assistant Public Defender
Jennifer Fields, Assistant Public Defender
Jeffrey Hampel, Assistant Public Defender
Kati Hoekstra, Assistant Public Defender
Kevin Mackin, Assistant Public Defender
Alexandria Miller, Assistant Public Defender
Christopher Page, Assistant Public Defender
Scott Sanford, Assistant Public Defender
Robert Schlacks, Assistant Public Defender
Peter Schlemmer, Assistant Public Defender
Stephanie Teeple, Assistant Public Defender
Donald Teichman, Assistant Public Defender
Paul Toman, Assistant Public Defender
Shayne Williams, Assistant Public Defender
Supporting Staff
Don Trail, Chief Investigator
Max Baum, Investigator
Katie Sircher, Investigator
Denise Lane, Lead Social Worker
Andrew Cousins, Social Worker
Lynne Christiano, Office Administrator
Teresa Stevens, Legal Assistant
Dana Whitaker, Legal Assistant
-
Paul Jancha
Chief Public Defender
-
Public Defenders Office
Physical Address
511 Renaissance Drive
Suite 120
St. Joseph , MI 49085
Phone: 269-982-8698