Public Defenders office now in Portageville

Since 1978, the 34th Circuit Public Defenders office has been in Caruthesville. At that time, there was a District Defender and a Secretary. The office was housed in the Pemiscot County Courthouse in Caruthersville.

On Friday, December 4th, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new location. It is located in the Young Plaza Center, 48 east State Hwy. 162 in Portageville.

In July of 1992, the counties of Pemiscot and New Madrid, entered into an agreement with a private landlord and moved the office from the courthouse to 407 Walker Avenue, Caruthersville.

Taking time to pose in front of their new Public Defenders office are, from left, Roy Leasure, Investigator; Lisa Kelley, Secretary; Susan R. Warren, District Defender; Jeffery Wood, Attorney, behind Warren; Michael Anderson, Attorney; T.J. Houck, Attorney: and Michael Hustead, Attorney.

Taking time to pose in front of their new Public Defenders office are, from left, Roy Leasure, Investigator; Lisa Kelley, Secretary; Susan R. Warren, District Defender; Jeffery Wood, Attorney, behind Warren; Michael Anderson, Attorney; T.J. Houck, Attorney: and Michael Hustead, Attorney.

The office remained at the 407 Walker location, until it moved to Portageville on November 5th, 2015. The District 34 office currently has a District Defender, Susan Warren; 5 Assistant Public Defenders, an Investigator and a Secretary. The provide representation in approximately 1000 criminal cases each fiscal year, of which two-thirds are felonies.