New regional public-defender office says it is reducing case backlog, expects cost savings

Paul Chambers, first assistant public defender and head of the local Far West Texas Regional Public Defenders Office, briefed the commissioners on the office’s first months in Val Verde County. “We opened our office on October 1st of 2025,” Chambers said, and noted the office began taking local cases Dec. 1. He told the court, “As of yesterday, we’ve opened around 525 cases.”

Chambers said state funding covers roughly 80% of the office’s budget and the office averages about 100–115 case appointments per month. He described a staff complement of four filled attorney positions, two investigators, an administrative assistant and social-work positions; he also listed local staff by name for the record and said most hires are local residents.

On case-processing goals, Chambers said the office aims to dispose of cases in district court within about 90 days where possible and that an automated screening system under development reduced intake delay dramatically in other counties he worked in. He projected roughly 3,600 cases over the next three years and estimated a county cost of about $500 per case, noting the office’s approach—bond reviews, RITs and regular jail visits—targets bed-space reduction and lower county jail costs.

Commissioners asked about hiring processes and potential conflicts. Chambers denied elected‑official influence on hiring and said his office hires the best applicants; he agreed to provide commissioners a list of local hires. The court invited the public-defender office to hold a ribbon-cutting/open house (planned July 2) and said it would monitor the office’s budget and caseflow reports as the program continues.