Capital Area Private Defender Service

CAPDS is deeply committed to ensuring that the underserved and marginalized members of the Austin and Travis County community are afforded quality legal representation at every step: first appearance, pre-trial, trial, appeal, and post-conviction through increases in resources, mentorship, programmatic change, and direct representation.

A legal organization can only be effective when it is trusted by the public it serves. This includes marginalized groups, persons in geographically limited areas, low-income persons, persons with disabilities, persons suffering from mental illness, persons experiencing homelessness, and persons with limited English proficiency. It is our goal to bring lasting, positive change to the legal services afforded to these communities in Austin and Travis County.