It’s hard to sit in the Deschutes County Courthouse and watch a defendant’s case be called and see no attorney is there to defend them. It’s harder still for the judge and district attorney. And it’s hardest for the defendant and any victim.

It undermines justice in Oregon.

A briefing for the Oregon Public Defense Commission, which is charged with providing lawyers for people who can’t afford them in Oregon, hints that it may be getting worse.

“The total number of unrepresented individuals has steadily increased since June 2024 and is approaching the historic high,” an August update says. “The crisis continues to be the most severe in Jackson, Marion, Multnomah, Douglas and Washington counties and is growing more severe in Clatsop, Deschutes, Coos and Klamath counties.”

As of Aug. 21 there were 3,434 unrepresented individuals in Oregon. Josephine County has had the same nine cases unrepresented since November 2023.

A proposed budget for the Oregon Public Defense Commission for 2025-2027 discussed at its meeting this week was $1.42 billion. That represents an increase of $800 million over the commission’s legislatively approved budget for 2023-2025 or what it would take to continue the same level of service as it provides now. The plan is to increase from about 170 full-time positions to about 283. The plan is to try to set Oregon on the right course so it fulfills the constitutional requirement of providing an attorney for people who can’t afford them.

With all the other worthy causes legislators will be trying to fund in the next session, the question may be just how short is Oregon going to fall again.