The Office of State Public Defender (OSPD) was created by SB 2563, becoming active on July 1, 2011. OSPD has three main divisions: Capital Defense Counsel Division, which tries and assists in death penalty trials and appeals throughout the State; the Indigent Appeals Division, which handles all felony indigent criminal appeals; and the Training Division, which is responsible for the training all of Mississippi's public defenders.

Mississippi Public Defender Task Force Final Report

The Right to Counsel in Mississippi: Evaluation of Adult Felony Trial Level Indigent Defense Services