A Message from Avis & Rudy

In 1960, the District of Columbia established what was then known as the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).  The LAA, which is now called the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), was created to be a model public defender office.  From the outset, PDS began developing the reputation for high quality, zealous advocacy it has enjoyed for decades.  Our attorneys and other professionals are some of the best you will find anywhere.  The staff in our various legal and legal support practice areas, which include trial (adult and juvenile), appellate, parole and supervised release, mental health, reentry, and some civil matters, work hard to meet our clients’ needs.

You can call or visit us during regular business hours if you have a criminal matter you want to discuss – for example, an outstanding District of Columbia arrest warrant or District of Columbia criminal record sealing.  We also offer case advice and training to attorneys who take court-appointed cases in the District of Columbia local court system. 

We’re here to help where we can, and we consider working at PDS a privilege.  View an Introduction to PDS to learn more about why we do the work we do.  Thank you for visiting our website.  

Sincerely,