LA County Public Defender’s Office Receives National Recognition for Two Collaborative Programs

The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office (LACPDO) has been honored with two Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo), recognizing outstanding innovation in local government. The two award-winning initiatives—Community Outreach Court: Homeless Mobile Unit and Art & Social Justice: Community Engagement and Employee Wellness Through Social Justice Civic Art—highlight LACPDO’s dedication to expanding access to justice and advancing equity through holistic and human-centered approaches.

“This dual recognition by NACo reflects our commitment to serving the community in ways that transform traditional courtroom advocacy,” said Ricardo D. García, the Los Angeles County Public Defender. “From meeting our unhoused neighbors where they are to elevating the voices of our team and clients through art, these projects embody our goal: to advocate fiercely, serve compassionately, and center humanity in everything we do – these actions speak to our core mission.”

COMMUNITY OUTREACH COURT: HOMELESS MOBILE UNIT

Developed in partnership with the Alternate Public Defender’s Office, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles Superior Court, and Mayor Karen Bass’ Office of Community Safety, Community Outreach Court (COC) offers on-site legal relief and services to individuals experiencing homelessness in the heart of Skid Row. COC helps participants resolve low-level legal matters—including citations, bench warrants, and record clearing—while connecting them to vital housing, employment, and reentry services.

Since its inception in 2024, COC has engaged over 500 unhoused individuals and helped them move toward stability by removing legal barriers that hinder access to opportunity.

“The Community Outreach Court brings justice to the people—literally,” said Ricardo D. García. “By meeting clients where they are and helping them resolve legal challenges that stand in the way of housing or employment, we’re empowering individuals and offering real pathways to rebuild lives. The COC is an exceptional example of how collaboration between justice stakeholders can change lives and improve the wellbeing of our unhoused neighbors.”

COC convenes on the third Thursday of every month at The Refresh Spot on Skid Row, a 24/7 public safe space providing showers, restrooms, laundry, and access to social services.

“The Community Outreach Court recognizes that justice cannot be one-size-fits-all,” said Erika Anzoátegui, Alternate Public Defender. “By showing up directly in the community and honoring the lived experiences of our unhoused neighbors, we are working to dismantle barriers—not reinforce them. This program is a model of how the justice system can act with care, equity, and humanity.”

“The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is deeply committed to ensuring that justice is accessible to all,” Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II said. “The Community Outreach Court is a powerful example of how collaboration among justice partners can deliver services and programs that truly meet the diverse needs of our community, including those who are unhoused. This initiative reflects the Court’s broader mission to meet people where they are and to provide every resident of Los Angeles County with a fair, safe, and impartial venue to peacefully resolve legal matters.”

The program is part of a larger County-wide movement to humanize the criminal legal system and reduce recidivism through collaboration and compassion.

An informational video about COC is available here.

ART & SOCIAL JUSTICE: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE WELLNESS THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE CIVIC ART

In collaboration with the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, the Public Defender’s Office transformed a once-vacant file-storage space on the 6th floor of the historic Hall of Records into a vibrant workplace and civic art installation. The project features newly commissioned works from eight LA-based artists that explore themes of justice, struggle, and resilience—each rooted in the lived experiences of public defenders and their clients.

The art was created under the County’s Civic Art Policy, which dedicates one percent of new capital construction costs to public art. Artists engaged deeply with LACPDO —shadowing trials, meeting staff and clients, and immersing themselves in the stories behind the system.

“This is not just an art installation—it’s a living, breathing expression of the people and purpose behind public defense,” said Ricardo D. García. “It brings our mission to life and reflects the human stories public defenders carry with us every day. Art is an expression of our culture and history. I’m honored that we could work with the Department of Arts and Culture to make history.”

“At Department of Arts and Culture, we have the honor to commission artists to create site-specific artworks at County facilities for the Civic Art Policy. With Public Defender, a capital project became an extraordinary opportunity for collaboration using art to bring greater humanity—and ultimately, inspiration—to the defenders’ daily work and civic spaces,” said Kristin Sakoda, Director, LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

The installation serves not only as a visual tribute to the work but also as a space for healing, reflection, and inspiration for both employees and visitors.