Office of the Mercer County Public Defender

10/09/2026

Lethal injection aims to disguise the brutal reality of capital punishment by dressing it in medical garb.

10/01/2026

Christa Pike was convicted of murdering a classmate in 1995. It was not clear what went wrong in the ex*****on or what her current medical condition was.

09/10/2026

On this date in 1897, the first recorded drunk-driving arrest occurred in London.

Twenty-five-year-old taxi driver George Smith had been drinking, lost control of his electric cab and crashed into a building. He pleaded guilty.

His punishment?

A fine of 20 shillings — £1 at the time, or roughly $225 in today’s money.

No jail. No driver’s-license suspension. No mandatory alcohol program.

Compare that with Ohio today. A first-time OVI can bring:

• A $565 to $1,075 fine
• Three days in jail or a three-day driver intervention program** for a typical first offense
• A one- to three-year driver’s-license suspension
• Court costs, reinstatement fees and other expenses
• And potentially thousands of dollars more in increased insurance premiums and other consequences

We went from roughly a $225 slap on the wrist in 1897 to an offense that can take away your money, your freedom and your ability to drive.

And one more thing: if you are charged with OVI, get a lawyer. These cases can have serious and lasting consequences. If you cannot afford an attorney, ask the court whether you qualify for appointed counsel or a public defender. Do not assume you should simply plead guilty and get it over with.

Whatever else has changed in the 129 years since the first drunk-driving arrest, society’s view of the seriousness of drunk driving certainly has.

08/13/2026

Good advice.

03/21/2026

Who's Clarence Earl Gideon? 🤔 He's recognized every March 18 on Gideon's Day for his part in a landmark Supreme Court case.

➡️ The 1963 decision would ensure the Sixth Amendment right to legal representation is extended to all people accused of a crime, regardless of their ability to pay for a lawyer.

⏯️ Watch this 3-minute rundown of the "Gideon vs. Wainwright" decision ➡️ https://bit.ly/3PcS5ln

🍰 Our Washington County public defenders highlighted this important day as part of National Public Defense Week!

01/25/2026

The Office of the Mercer County Public Defender will be closed Jan. 26, 2026, because of the snow emergency.

01/15/2026

The real question is: Were the pigs afforded the benefit of a public defender?

Animal trials helped to restore order when the unspeakable happened.

01/14/2026

The Mercer County Public Defender Commission will hold its quarterly meeting at 3 p.m. Jan. 15, 2026, at 220 W. Livingston St., Suite A236, Celina, Ohio.

01/08/2026

Know your rights.

01/02/2026

Liberty is not preserved by efficient institutions alone, but by the active participation of citizens in the administration of criminal justice dispensed in their names.

On the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, citizen jurors remind us why they are the ultimate check against oppressive goverment.