Alameda County CAAP (Conflict Attorney Appointment Program)

ACBA is actively recruiting a full-time CAAP Director reporting to the CEO. The role manages the $30M county contract, supervises an 8-person referral/billing and social work team, and owns panel attorney recruitment and retention amid the current attorney shortage. Requires J.D., 7+ years of criminal defense experience including serious felonies, and 3+ years of program management.

Dozens of indigent defendants are waiting weeks for CAAP counsel as the program absorbs rising conflict caseloads without proportional funding. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors renewed the $30M CAAP administration contract with ACBA but declined to add new operating dollars, raising Sixth Amendment concerns.

ACBA increased CAAP panel hourly rates across misdemeanor, felony, and capital case categories effective July 1, 2025, narrowing the gap with federal CJA rates. Targeted at panel attorney recruitment and retention during a period of historic conflict caseloads.

CAAP partnered with the Social Justice Collaborative (SJC) to provide free crimmigration consultations for panel attorneys handling immigration-sensitive criminal cases. A dedicated grievance line (510-433-8707) and Attorney Complaint Form were also launched to strengthen panel quality oversight.

AB 690 (Schultz) would prohibit flat-fee and per-case indigent defense contracts starting January 1, 2027, and require OSPD-compliant hourly rate structures. Held under submission in Senate Appropriations August 29, 2025. CAAP's hourly-rate model already aligns; rural flat-fee contractors would need to restructure.

CAAP leadership joined Alameda County PD Brendon Woods in condemning the first ICE arrest inside an Alameda courthouse and at least five subsequent arrests near courthouses, and helped drive adoption of the Superior Court's January 15, 2026 armed-officer restrictions.