Joel Wirtz is the Executive Director of the nonprofit public defender’s office in Bend: Deschutes Defenders. After serving in the Marines, he moved to Oregon and has been a public defender for nearly 20 years. He has successfully defended accusations from theft to murder.

A strong advocate for veterans and those suffering from mentally illness, Joel has served as attorney for those going through Mental Health Court and the Veteran’s Intervention Strategy. A leading proponent of holistic defense, he has worked with local stakeholders to ensure a safer and more equitable community. In his spare time, he runs the trails, often with a headlamp, and tries to expand his emotional intelligence with the help of his daughters and wife, a therapist.

In this edition of Bend Don't Break, we talk with Wirtz about the crisis in public defense resources in Oregon and the nation, how Oregon's challenges in mental health care play a role in adequate defense and more.