	Rhode Island Public Defender
	Our mission is to provide high quality representation to our clients, fulfilling the governmental obligation of effective assistance of counsel, fundamental fairness and due process. Our goal is to provide client-centered advice, holistic representation and zealous advocacy. Our commitment is to treat our clients with dignity, compassion and fairness.
	Mary S. McElroy, Public Defender
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Legislative Initiatives

The Office of Public Defender includes as part of its responsibilities advocacy for indigent citizens of the State of Rhode Island on issues affecting the criminal justice system. The Public Defender plays an important role in the criminal justice system, with a bird’s eye view of what works in the judicial system and what doesn’t.

The Public Defender has a responsibility to do all it can to improve the quality of justice and to ensure fairness and equality in the criminal justice process. To that end, the Public Defender has been an energetic participant in the state legislative arena, opposing proposals that jeopardize the fairness of criminal justice and affirmatively initiating legislation designed to improve the justice system.

The office hopes to continue its history of legislative success by sponsoring legislation, the goal of which is to improve the quality of justice and ensure fairness in the Rhode Island criminal justice system.