Community in Action: Justice denied: The public defense crisis
Start: 2026-06-22 17:30:00 UTC Pacific Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-07:00)
End: 2026-06-22 19:00:00 UTC Pacific Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-07:00)
Event Type:
Virtual
A virtual link will be communicated before the event.
Host contact info hello@portlandforall.org
Oregon’s justice system is in crisis because we do not have enough court-appointed attorneys (public defenders) to represent people accused of a crime, as required by our constitution. This crisis is exacerbated in Multnomah County because the District Attorney has clogged the courts with unwinnable cases, disregarded our constitution, and is implementing flawed policies. As a result, crime victims are frustrated waiting for justice, precious public resources are being wasted, and innocent people are waiting months or years for their day in court. City and County leaders must take action to protect our public safety system. Join our panel to learn more:
- Portland City Councilor Angelita Morillo
- Mike Schmidt, The Urban League of Portland, and The Schmidt Show
- Grant Hartley, Metro Public Defenders