Virginia Indigent Defense Commission

The VIDC oversees 25 public defender offices, 3 satellite offices, and 4 capital defender offices across Virginia, with a central administrative office that certifies attorneys seeking appointments in criminal cases. In addition, the VIDC is responsible for the following: Promulgate and enforce the mandatory Standards of Practice for Court-Appointed Counsel which sets out detailed expectations for attorneys seeking appointments in criminal cases; Re-certify attorneys seeking appointments in criminal cases and maintain the certified counsel list; and Develop certification training courses The VIDC strives to provide high quality training to public defender offices and private court-appointed attorneys to continually improve criminal defense representation to vulnerable citizens of Virginia who are not able to hire an attorney of their choosing. For more information, see VA Code § 19.2-163.01.