Michael A. Mitchell

Michael A. Mitchell is the Deputy State Public Defender. His duties include acting as the Trial Level Compliance Officer for the Office of the State Public Defender.  He assists the State Public Defender in regulating the delivery of criminal defense services for indigent persons accused of crimes throughout Louisiana’s 42 independent district Offices of the Public Defender.  Mitchell brings with him the experience of having been the Chief of the East Baton Rouge Public Defender’s Office for 27 years. As District Defender, he administered a multi-million-dollar budget and supervised more than 60 criminal defense attorneys and support staff. He has been involved in the community and has practiced law and public defense for a period of 43 years.  Mr. Mitchell has served as the past President of the Public Defender Association of Louisiana, and the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a member of the state bar association, was a founding member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Counsel of East Baton Rouge Parish.  He has served on various boards and committees including the Bridge Center for Hope which provides an alternative to immediate incarceration for those in the middle of a mental health crisis.  Michael Mitchell has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Southern University and A&M College, and a Juris Doctorate from the Southern University Law Center.