Our HistoryThe California Public Defenders Association (CPDA) was founded in 1969 with a mission to support and improve the quality of legal defense for indigent individuals across the state. Since its inception, CPDA has played a vital role in shaping the legal landscape of California by offering continuing legal education, resources, and trainings for criminal defense attorneys. Through the years, CPDA has been instrumental in influencing public policy, fighting for the rights of the accused, and addressing systemic injustice in the criminal legal system. CPDA trains and honors the attorneys who fight for the rights of the accused and in so doing, protects the rights of all Californians. Today, CPDA is proud to be the leading professional organization for California's public defenders and criminal defense community.
Clara Shortridge Foltz was the first woman lawyer in California who championed the idea of a public defender starting in 1893. CPDA's first website and materials for attorneys was named "Claranet" after Clara Shortridge Foltz.
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