The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has appointed a new chief public defender. Scott R. Sanford was hired for the role vacated by former defender Paul Jancha when he left to become a judge. In his new role, Sanford directs operations of the Berrien County Public Defender Office, which provides legal representation and social support services for residents facing criminal charges. He supervises a 25 member staff and oversees the private attorneys who handle cases for the office. Sanford is also responsible for managing the indigent defense system. Sanford has 33 years of legal experience and began working with the county in 1994 with contract legal work. He joined the public defender’s office in 2016 as an assistant public defender. He told commissioners Thursday he looks forward to doing the best he can do.
