The State Public Defender coordinates provision of legal representation to indigent persons under arrest or charged with a crime, in juvenile cases, and on appeal in criminal and post-conviction relief cases. This legal representation is provided through State Public Defender Offices or through private attorneys who contract with the State Public Defender or who are appointed by the Court.

State Public Defender Offices By specializing in criminal defense work and juvenile matters, Public Defenders, investigators, and support staff of the State Public Defender Offices provide high-quality, efficient, cost-effective legal representation to indigent clients. The State Public Defender system also includes the Office of the State Appellate Defender. This office represents indigent persons in all aspects of the direct appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court of their criminal convictions or in their appeals from the denial of post conviction relief. The office additionally handles discretionary appeals granted by the Iowa Supreme Court involving indigent persons. This office does not routinely take on federal habeas corpus proceedings or other federal appellate work. The Appellate Defender Office has been in existence since 1981 and became part of the State Public Defender system in January 1989.

Indigent Defense. All indigent cases not handled by the State Public Defender system are undertaken by private attorneys. In Fiscal Year 1993, the State Public Defender started the Contract Attorney Program to handle criminal cases for a set hourly fee. In cases not covered by Contract Attorneys, representation is provided by Court Appointed Attorneys. In addition, the Office of the State Public Defender contracts with the Iowa Department of Corrections to provide legal advice to inmates in the Iowa Correctional Facilities. This contract does not include representation of inmates in lawsuits.