Public Defender Salary in Minnesota

How much does a Public Defender make in MN?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Public Defender in Minnesota is $107,805. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $92,393 to $125,174, with most professionals earning between $78,361 and $140,987.

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Salary range for an Public Defender

$92,393 to $125,174

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What is a Public Defender?

A Public Defender is an attorney appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer. Brazil is the only country where an office of government-paid lawyers, with the specific purpose of providing legal assistance and representation to the destitute, free of charge, is established in the Constitution. In the United States, a 1963 US Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright ruled that the Sixth Amendment of the Bill of Rights requires the government to provide free legal counsel to indigent defendants in criminal cases. Many other countries provide people with p...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Location	Avg. Salary	Date Updated
Location Lakeville, MN	Avg. Salary $109,564	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Minnetonka, MN	Avg. Salary $110,260	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Ada, MN	Avg. Salary $99,841	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Adams, MN	Avg. Salary $104,666	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Adolph, MN	Avg. Salary $101,052	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Adrian, MN	Avg. Salary $94,046	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Afton, MN	Avg. Salary $109,438	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Ah Gwah Ching, MN	Avg. Salary $100,978	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Aitkin, MN	Avg. Salary $101,537	Date Updated April 01, 2025
Location Akeley, MN	Avg. Salary $101,410	Date Updated April 01, 2025

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Job Openings for Public Defender in Minnesota

What does a Public Defender do?

Common responsibilities of a Public Defender

Provides representation at all stages of the court process, including before the filing of formal charges, at the trial court level, and any related appeals.

September 28, 2022

Required to work in jail environment (will be required to comply with all conditions imposed to enter a facility of this type).

December 01, 2022

Assist the board in the adoption of rule accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, establishing standards and guideline, policies and procedures for the statewide delivery of public defense services in accordance with rules adopted by the Board or requires by law.

February 01, 2023

Reviews case, results of investigation, applicable laws and codes, and professional obligations to identify, prepare, direct filing, and litigate appropriate pretrial motions.

February 23, 2023

Meets with the client to discuss the appropriate action to be taken and whether pre-trial motions should be filed, discuss any plea offers from the State, and the consequences, including collateral legal consequences thereto, and, ultimately prepare client and case for trial.

February 27, 2023

Performs limited post-conviction work, including motions to modify probation, and represents clients at revocation hearings.

March 31, 2023

Represents all indigent persons charged with serious crimes in the County, including capital murder, murder, and manslaughter.

April 21, 2023

Acts as negotiator between the defendant clients and the State's Attorney's Office prosecutors to secure acquittals or reach agreement concerning sentence time plea agreements which would be the most beneficial for the defendant client, and the State's Attorney's Office.

May 08, 2023

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About Minnesota

Minnesota (/ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə/ (listen)) is a state in the Upper Midwest and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The state has a large number of lakes, and is known by the slogan the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord (French: Star of the North). Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 22nd most populous of the U.S. states; nearly 60% of its residents live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area (known as the "Twin Cities"). This area i...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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About Minnesota Minnesota (/ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə/ (listen)) is a state in the Upper Midwest and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. ....More

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