Today in SF Superior Court, numerous chief public defenders from across California stood with San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju and his office, reflecting the nationwide efforts by public defenders to demand resources equal to those of prosecutors in criminal courts. At today’s hearing, SF Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman sanctioned Raju by fining him...Read More

Today, the Public Defender’s Office filed a complaint with the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability asserting that two SFPD officers violated numerous police department policies when they racially profiled, used excessive force, and carried out illegal detention and arrests at a private home in August 2025. More specifically, the officers treated a Black man...Read More

A San Francisco jury has acquitted Irie Benson, 48, of attempted murder charges after determining that he shot a knife-wielding stranger to protect himself and his elderly uncle. Jurors deliberated for less than two hours.Read More

PRESS RELEASE: After a month-long trial, a jury acquitted Antoine Watson of first- and second-degree murder and elder abuse from a highly publicized January 2021 incident. The jury convicted Watson of involuntary manslaughter and assault for pushing Vicha Ratanapakdee, who later died from the fall. Jurors reviewed extensive evidence that refuted widespread misinformation that circulated...Read More

The Adachi Project’s New Film Series “Off the Record” Uses Art to Tell Untold Public Defender Client Stories. The films were screened at the Roxie Theater and highlight the vital work of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office. On Dec. 2, 2025, the Adachi Project screened three new films to a full house at the...Read More

Impact Justice and the SF Public Defender's Office announced the launch of the Homecoming Project in San Francisco. The Homecoming Project pairs people who are recently released from prison with hosts in the community who can offer a spare room in their home for six months.Read More

A San Francisco jury has acquitted 29-year-old Wyatt Johnson, who was arrested in a multi-agency law enforcement raid at Jefferson Park on Feb. 26. The jury unanimously acquitted him of all charges on Oct. 22.Read More

In May 2025, the Public Defender’s Office alerted the Court that we would be declaring unavailable one day per week in misdemeanor cases and select felony matters. This decision reflected the fact that our caseloads far exceeded those of our peers in the Bay Area as well as prevailing caseload standards from the American Bar...Read More

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, along with Californians for Safety and Justice—co-sponsors of AB 321, the Better Informed Decisions (BID) Act—are celebrating that California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 321 into law on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. This bill, authored by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), ensures that judges in the state’s criminal courts have more...Read More

Today, an SF judge ruled that the teen accused of shooting and attempting to rob 49er Ricky Pearsall will remain in juvenile court instead of being transferred to adult court.Read More