At 8 a.m. every morning, public defender Joseph P. Vann Heest starts his 55-case workday.

“We have a total of approximately 150 open cases at the moment, with each lawyer having to deal with about 15-20 cases to deal with before lunch,” Van Heest said.

Such a caseload is typical throughout the year, according to Van Heest. He called it more of a calling rather than a job because of the dedication that it requires. One has to be passionate about making sure everyone gets a fair shake based on his or her circumstances, but Van Heest says it is more intrinsically rewarding compared to being a private lawyer.

“We are not practicing for the money. We are practicing for the people, many of which are a part of a lower tier of socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status definitely has something to with who is prosecuted. We represent the vulnerable,” Van Heest said.

There seems to be an abundance of cases for Van Heest and his team of lawyers compared to that of a private lawyer who is paid more. The funding for public defenders comes from the state as well as from independent contracts with the court.

“Resources are target. There are too many cases charged that take up resources that require public defenders and whether the ends justifies the means comes back to the judgment of the officer,” said Van Heest. “What we find is a criminal justice system that is funded by guilty pleas, which causes more aggressive mandating for citizens, which is what keeps us so busy.”

There seems to be a shortage of public defenders. Depending on the week, their time is spent in and out of the courtroom, client meetings at the county jail, or meeting with the investigator they have on staff. It is currently docket week, one of the busiest of the court schedule, which is when the court meets to plan trial commencements for the coming months.

Though public defenders earn less money than private lawyers, they are just as skilled, winning the same percentage of their cases.

“Everyday we are fighting for the underdog,” Van Heest said. “Everyday, fighting for the people that the rest of society tends to ignore.”