The State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) is an independently governed state legal agency, with offices in midtown Detroit and Lansing, and approximately 70 staff members and growing.
SADO fulfills the statutory requirements of the Appellate Defender Act (MCL 780.712) and the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution to represent indigent people appealing their criminal convictions.
SADO consists of three divisions: The public defender division, the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System (MAACS), and the Criminal Defense Resource Center (CDRC).
Our mission: Fighting injustice through access, advocacy, compassion, and education.
