Our Purpose

Following appointment by the courts of Coconino County, the office provides, pursuant to ethical and constitutional obligations, quality and cost-efficient legal representation to indigent persons who are:

• Criminal defendants
• Minors accused of delinquency
• Parties involved in termination of parental rights litigation
• Parties to child dependency actions
• The subjects of mental health commitment proceedings

History of the Public Defender

Since the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gideon vs. Wainwright, states have been required to provide lawyers to represent criminal defendants who are unable to pay for their own attorney. Additional case law and legislation have required the appointment of counsel in other cases. In Arizona, counties have the responsibility for providing counsel to the indigent. Coconino County has created a Public Defender's Office for this purpose. No person can be represented by the Public Defender until the office is appointed by the court.

Our Staff

• Public Defender
  Sandra Diehl
• Adult Attorneys
  Brad Bransky, Christine Brown, Andrew Graham, Steve Hauser, Jonathon Kircher, Vaughan Winborne, Claire Tomko, Jennifer Stock, Alexis Petrosino, Rebecca Browning, Laurence Kress, Aaron Mallonee, Morgan Thomas, Jessi Armfield
• Juvenile Attorneys
  Amanda Wilson and Jacqueline Kozlik
• Administrative Senior Manager 
   Araceli Tovar
• Chief Investigator
  
• Matthew Tanner
• Support Staff
  2 Administrative Specialists
  4 Legal Assistants
  2 Paralegals