![Marion County judge appoints general counsel, appellate lawyers to criminal cases amid public defense crisis Marion County judge appoints general counsel, appellate lawyers to criminal cases amid public defense crisis](https://www.oregonlive.com/resizer/RHQFegHdXt3Vdr50k_wRltMCUbY=/0x1200/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/RBPQVAVZD5B5JHWUA5PPVCYPKM.jpg)
A judge in Marion County escalated the state’s pitched battle over the lack of public defenders by appointing – by name – lawyers from Oregon’s indigent defense agency, most who have limited or in some cases no trial experience, to represent clients.