Max Courtney

Max Courtney serves as a public defender in Mendocino County. He works out of the Mendocino County Office of the Public Defender, representing clients charged with a range of criminal offenses. His daily work is courtroom-centered, and it spans from early appearances to trial preparation and sentencing hearings.

Courtney’s practice emphasizes direct client contact. He conducts interviews, investigates facts, and coordinates with investigators and experts when cases require additional inquiry. He appears regularly in county courtrooms. There he handles arraignments, preliminary hearings, pretrial motions and jury trials. He also manages cases that resolve through negotiated pleas when that route offers the best outcome for a client.

In the public defender setting, the pace can be relentless. Courtney balances new case intakes with ongoing trial calendars. He must make quick assessments about evidence, potential defenses and procedural options. These decisions frequently involve weighing constitutional issues, evidentiary challenges and the possible collateral consequences clients may face after conviction.

Courtney represents people across the spectrum of criminal matters. He handles misdemeanors and felonies, and he has experience with domestic violence, drug offenses, thefts and driving-related charges. He also works on post-conviction matters that touch on probation conditions and sentence modifications. His role requires fluency in court procedure and an ability to explain complex legal points to clients who are often under stress.

Outside the courtroom, he collaborates with social service providers and public agencies to address issues that affect case outcomes. Those efforts can include arranging mental health evaluations, connecting clients to treatment programs and dealing with housing or employment issues that arise during representation. This kind of coordination is a regular part of how many cases progress toward resolution.

Courtney’s work is part of the county’s system of indigent defense. That system aims to ensure that people who cannot afford private counsel still receive legal representation. His practice involves both adversarial work before judges and jury and practical problem-solving aimed at reducing the long-term impact of criminal charges.

He currently practices criminal defense at the Mendocino County Office of the Public Defender.