Placer County Public Defender's Office

Heidi Pope was/is my minor son’s court appointed attorney. I understand that this is voluntary and free, however, when representing a minor an attorney should keep in contact with the parents. I have tried texting, calling and leaving voicemails numerous times and I haven’t received a single reply! At the last hearing she told me they couldn’t charge him that he was going to plead not guilty but at today’s hearing he plead guilty to everything . Absolutely NO COMMUNICATION!!! After the hearing I text her and this was her reply: I am your son’s attorney NOT yours. You are entitled to hire an attorney to represent YOU if that is your desire.” Unbelievable and so rude!! All I ever asked for was communication!!! If you are my minor son’s attorney then you are my attorney!! You straight lied to my face then avoided me, period! I would never recommend hiring her!

They were absolutely fantastic to work with and made time to understand my issue even with how much they got backed up with Covid.

*Update* my public defender was awesome! She not only listened to what I had to say about the case she actually got my charges dropped!! My advice is to do your own investigating on your case. Google the laws and defenses. Make sure it's California laws your looking up. Find out ALL you can by yourself. Do not expect your public defender to do any "real " work for your case. They are really there to guide you not defend you. And if you have any mental health issues make sure you ask them to put you in mental health court! Not a lot of people are aware of this.

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation and my families' to be sure! for the job Martin Jones of your office did to help my nephew. Every step of the way, he embodied the best attributes of a public defender. Specific examples follow: * He never overpromised but laid out all the potential scenarios so we were prepared and informed all the way through the process. * He was knowledgeable and inspired confidence as we tried to navigate an unfamiliar process. * He was compassionate and understood how difficult this situation was for us emotionally but never sugar-coated anything so we were prepared for what could happen. * He made thoughtful, well researched and compelling arguments in defense of my nephew. His arguments and presentation of pertinent materials swayed the judge to a decision that was fair and clearly well-supported legally. This wasn't easy given the charges and the much harsher penalties proposed by the District Attorney, including an outrageous for restitution which would forever impair his ability to run a business again or be self-sufficient. I spent 40 years in public service myself at both the State level and at Placer County. I know that people often are not recognized for the extra work they do and commitment to the ideals of the job, especially those working in difficult jobs. Your office and Martin more than merit that. Your office should be proud of the positive impact they have on people's lives.

Martin Jones is a outstanding Public Defender. He helped me Through all my court proceedings with a phenomenal end result. He is very professional and follows through with all his efforts. He is a great addition to that particular office and needs to be commended for all his hard work. I am thrilled and super excited about my end result. It was all because of the hard work that Martin put in to complete what he started. Please give him a raise! Thank you

Martin Jones did outstanding work for a family member who has complicated issues that have caused him time and again to be incarcerated. Martin stayed in close touch with the family and helped this person get needed counseling and medical attention. Martins efforts far exceeded what I expected from a public defender. I wish Martin all the best in the future. I believe the criminal justice system could use a lot more like him. Speaking of the Placer Public Defenders Office itself, this family member was helped on several occasions and I am left with a high opinion of their work

My original opinion of the PD was that it was the option of last resort. I now believe it may be the option of first resort. Martin Jones was the PD that helped my family. His knowledge of the law was excellent. He has a good working knowledge of the court room and helped us understand how the system worked. He appeared to have good relations with the district attorneys office. I interviewed several private attorneys all them knew Mr Jones, spoke highly of him and recommended that I stick with him. I’m sure that attorneys for the PD’s carry heavy case loads. Mr Jones responded to our calls and emails in a timely manor. In court he always made time for our questions. I would like to thank Martin Jones and the PD’s office for their service.