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Monday – Friday · 8:00am – 4:30pm
Main Office
201 Poplar Ave, Suite 2-01
Memphis, TN 38103
In the community
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The Shelby County Public Defender has served this community since 1917. We are not just a legal office — we are a part of this county, connected to the neighborhoods, cities, organizations, and people who make it up. That connection shapes everything we do.
Our Community Commitment
We believe that justice in the courtroom is inseparable from justice in the community. Mass incarceration, over-policing, and the criminalization of poverty are not abstract problems — they are realities our clients live every day. Our community work reflects that understanding.
We partner with Memphis organizations that provide housing, employment, substance use treatment, mental health services, and re-entry support. We refer clients to these partners. We advocate for their funding. We show up at community events and forums. And we use what we learn in the community to be better advocates in court.
Community Programs
The Humanity Project
The Humanity Project is SCPD’s arts and community engagement initiative — a recognition that our clients are full human beings whose stories deserve to be told and heard. Learn more →
Community Engagement Events
We host and participate in Know Your Rights workshops, expungement clinics, community forums, and other events throughout the year. See upcoming events →
Re-Entry Services
Our free re-entry services — expungements, license restoration, certificates of employability — are open to any formerly incarcerated person in Shelby County. Learn more →
Get involved
Community partners, volunteers, and advocates — we want to hear from you.