Pennsylvania Juvenile Defenders

Website made possible with the generous support of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Northeast Regional Defender Center

In order to increase the capacity of the grassroots juvenile defense bar across the country, the National Center incorporated into its design the development of nine Regional Defender Centers. The Northeast Region includes the following four states: Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Helpful Links

Juvenile Law Center
National Juvenile Defender Center
The Juvenile Act of PA

State and Local Defender Sites

“LGBTQ youth may be the most disenfranchised, isolated and complex juvenile clients …. The defense attorney may be their sole advocate, visitor, ‘friendly ear,’ and even, lifeline.” – Marynella Woods, LCSW, Office of the Public Defender, San Francisco

Defender Association of Philadelphia

1441 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 568-3190

The Defender Association of Philadelphia is an independent, non-profit corporation that was created in 1934 by a group of Philadelphia lawyers who were dedicated to the ideal of high quality legal services for indigent criminal defendants.

That ideal continues today, as some two hundred and fifteen full time assistant defenders represent clients in adult and juvenile state and federal trial and appellate courts and at civil and criminal mental health hearings as well as state and county violation of probation/parole hearings. Association attorneys also serve as the Child Advocate in neglect and dependency court.

Although the City of Philadelphia funds it, the Defender Association is not a city or state agency. The Association is directed by a Board of Directors who select the Chief Defender and First Assistant Defender.

Juvenile Special Defense Unit

Hot Topics in Juvenile Defense

New Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure Approved by Pennsylvania Supreme Court

“The Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently released procedural rules governing delinquency cases. The rules become effective October 1, 2005 (except for the Masters Rules which become effective April 1, 2006) and apply to all county courts of common pleas that hear matters under the Juvenile Act. These rules establish uniform practice and procedure in Pennsylvania’s 60 common pleas courts. All local rules pertaining to juvenile delinquency will be vacated at the time these rules become effective. In Pennsylvania, there are more than 40,000 children annually involved in delinquency proceedings.” – Juvenile Law Center Highlights

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U.S. Supreme Court Bans Death Penalty for Juveniles

“The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Constitution forbids the execution of killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes, ending a practice used in 19 states. The 5-4 decision throws out the death sentences of about 70 juvenile murderers and bars states from seeking to execute minors for future crimes.” – Hope Yen, Associated Press

Selected press coverage.

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PA Juvenile Defender Resources

Pennsylvania: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Delinquency Proceedings

Illustrates that the unevenness of resources from county to county is in part caused by the lack of statewide standards and accountability. Pennsylvania has no uniform system for assigning indigent defense lawyers, provides no state funding to counties, and collects no data in oversight of county defender services. View and print the full report (in PDF format). More information about National Juvenile Defender Center assessments can be found at the NJDC website.

Contact Pennsylvania Juvenile Defenders

Delinquency Dispositions 2003 View and print a contact sheet of Pennsylvania Juvenile Defenders. Contact us to make corrections to the list.

Pennsylvania Juvenile Defenders

Northeast Regional Defender Center

Helpful Links

State and Local Defender Sites

Delaware

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Recent Cases

Important Issues