The palm frond archway in front of the Porter House on the
corner of Monterey and Sixth streets will no longer welcome those
using public defender services in San Benito County.
That’s because the public defender office
– which provides criminal legal counsel to those who can’t
afford an attorney – is moving around the corner to suites in the
Renz Building at 339 Seventh St.
The palm frond archway in front of the Porter House on the corner of Monterey and Sixth streets will no longer welcome those using public defender services in San Benito County.
That’s because the public defender office – which provides criminal legal counsel to those who can’t afford an attorney – is moving around the corner to suites in the Renz Building at 339 Seventh St.
Public Defender Greg LaForge said the timing was right.
“Our current office is for sale,” LaForge said. “We had an opportunity to move in here.”
It ends nearly five years for LaForge, Deputy Public Defender Peggy Thorning and Conflict Public Defender Harry Damkar at the Porter House on Monterey Street. The law offices of LaForge, Thorning and Damkar also provides private services.
Attorneys will spend the next few weeks moving furniture and thousands of files to the new office, and should be done by Dec. 1. Hours will remain the same, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Renz Building provides more space, a newer building – the Porter House was built in 1890 – and better accessibility.
“It’s more accessible, especially for our disabled clients,” Damkar said.
There will be more parking than at the Monterey and Sixth streets location and an extra room to store files.
Damkar handles an average of 45 new cases per month, not including older cases that resurface, he said. LaForge averages 150 new cases per month, he said.
In some California counties, the public defender is a department of the county government. But in San Benito County, public defender services are contracted out.
Public defender services have been guaranteed for all Americans since a 1963 case involving a middle-aged Florida man.
The case held the following:
“The right of an indigent defendant in a criminal trial to have the assistance of counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial.”
