Following the March 2024 reformation of Louisiana’s system of public defense, which led to the creation of the Office of the State Public Defender, Rémy Voisin Starns was appointed by Governor Jeff Landry to serve as the State Public Defender. Mr. Starns, who had been State Public Defender of the Louisiana Public Defender Board since January 2020, became the first state public defender under this new system. As the State Public Defender, Mr. Starns oversees the entire 64-parish public defense system in Louisiana which represents almost 88% of all persons accused of crimes statewide.
Mr. Starns graduated from Louisiana State University and A&M College, he also holds law degrees from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Tulane University School of Law. He was a charter member of the Louisiana Public Defender Board under the former system and is currently serving his second term as an appointee to the LSU Board of Supervisors, having been appointed by Governor Jeff Landry and former Governor John Bel Edwards.