About Kristen
Kristen Haden earned her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2008 after completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of California, San Diego in 2004. She joined the California Bar the same year and has practiced in the state since then. Her academic background is anchored in San Diego institutions and has informed both her legal work and teaching.
Haden serves as a deputy alternate public defender in San Diego County. In that role she represents clients who cannot afford private counsel, handling matters that range from arraignments and plea negotiations to contested trials. The day-to-day work requires frequent courtroom appearances, rapid legal research, and careful case assessment. She has worked in the county public defender system, where the caseload and pace shape a practical, results-oriented approach to criminal defense.
Alongside courtroom duties, Haden has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law. Her time in the classroom overlaps with her practice. She draws on recent litigation experience to illustrate procedure and advocacy. Students see how pretrial strategy and courtroom advocacy unfold in active dockets. That mix of teaching and practice keeps her connected to both emerging lawyers and current legal developments.
Haden is a member of the State Bar of California, admitted in 2008 under bar number 258439. She practices under California licensure and maintains an active status. Her professional affiliations reflect a career spent entirely in the state's public defense and legal education sectors.
Her cases generally involve criminal defense at the county level. She reviews evidence, conducts investigations, prepares motions, and advocates for clients in hearings and trials. The position of deputy alternate public defender places a premium on managing high-volume caseloads while protecting clients' rights. It also requires regular collaboration with investigators, social service providers, and fellow attorneys.
Colleagues and students encounter a lawyer who balances the demands of public service and law school instruction. Her work remains grounded in the practical mechanics of criminal law and courtroom procedure. She currently practices as a deputy alternate public defender in San Diego County and teaches as an adjunct at the University of San Diego School of Law, focusing her practice on criminal defense for indigent clients.
