The Public Advocacy Commission serves as the governing board of the Department. It consists of twelve members: the Dean or a designee from each of the three Kentucky law schools; three members appointed by the Governor from recommendations of the Kentucky Bar Association; one member appointed by the Governor from recommendations by the Protection and Advocacy Advisory Boards; three at-large members appointed by the Governor; and two members appointed by the Kentucky Supreme Court. The Commission ensures that DPA maintains its professional independence and delivers professional representation of individual clients consistent with the American Bar Association's Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System (2002).
The Office of the Public Advocate is responsible for the oversight of the agency and includes the Public Advocate, Deputy Public Advocate, and General Counsel who manage compliance, policy development, and legislative advocacy for the Department.
The Education, Recruitment, and Strategic Planning Division is responsible for attorney and defender staff training and long-term planning for the Department. The Division also oversees DPA's recruiting activities to attract attorneys and law school graduates to be public defenders.
The Law Operations Division provides budget, personnel, administrative, technology, facility oversight, library services, research, archive services and management support for the Department and its offices across the state.
The Trial Division represents all needy persons accused of crimes punishable by loss of liberty, persons accused of juvenile delinquency and status offenses, and all needy persons faced with involuntary commitments due to mental state or condition in all of Kentucky's 120 counties. This includes district, circuit, drug, juvenile, mental health, veterans and family court venues.
The Post-Trial Division provides mandated defender services after conviction. These services include providing counsel to indigent persons on appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, to incarcerated persons on post-conviction actions in state and federal court, and to all juveniles in treatment facilities.
The Division of Conflict Services was established to build a statewide indigent conflict system and improve the quality of the departments existing conflict defense program that supports individuals represented through contract conflict counsel statewide.
Kentucky Protection & Advocacy (P&A), a division within the Department of Public Advocacy attached to the Department for administrative purposes only, was established pursuant to Public Law 99-319 (42 USC 10805 et seq.), Public Law 106-402 (42 USC § 15042 et seq.), and KRS 31.010 (2). P&A seeks legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies to protect and promote the rights of Kentuckyians with disabilities. The majority of funds in this division's budget are federal funds that have strict non-supplanting requirements.
Policy
The Governor’s budget includes additional funding in the amount of $1,385,100 in fiscal year 2027 and $2,844,600 in fiscal year 2028 to fund a 2% salary increment in fiscal year 2027 and an additional 2% in fiscal year 2028. The General Fund portion is $1,315,800 and $2,702,400, respectively.