Mission Statement
Our office provides competent and effective legal counsel to individuals who lack sufficient funds to obtain legal counsel where representation is legally required. It is our mission to zealously defend our citizens in order to preserve the rights guaranteed to all persons by the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
The Public Defender Act requires each County within the Commonwealth to provide a defender with adequate staff and sufficient equipment to represent indigent people on:
Gary Knaresboro,
Public Defender
300 Center Street
Ridgway, PA 15853
Phone: (814) 245-2100
Fax: (814) 245-2101
In addition to the services required by the Public Defender Act, the County requires that the Public Defender represents:
The State also requires that the office represents any inmate incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview who is currently involved in parole revocation proceedings.
Directions for Online Application
Application can be electronically signed and emailed to pd@countyofelkpa.gov at least THREE (3) DAYS PRIOR TO HEARING DATE.
Application needs to be filled out and MAILED, EMAILED, or FAXED to the public defender’s office.
You must contact the office immediately after submitting the application to verify receipt of application and determination of eligibility. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of your application.