Deputy Legal Defender Biography

Robert S. Briney, head of the Office of the Legal Defender since its founding in April 1995, brought an interesting background to his new Office.  After obtaining a B.A. at Alfred University and a J.D. from the University of Arizona, followed by service in the Judge Advocate’s Office – U.S. Army, Bob Briney joined the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office (P.D.’s) where he was a trial attorney before being named as second-in-command to the Public Defender.  In addition to the practice of law, Mr. Briney taught law at Arizona State University’s College of Law, and served on the bench as a superior court Judge Pro Tem and a Justice of the Peace.  His experience in criminal law coupled with his administrative and teaching background made him the ideal candidate for creating an office parallel to the P.D.’s.

Mr. Briney came with a vision for the Office of the Legal Defender – to serve indigent clients with a vanguard of experienced legal minds.  He recruited only known attorneys with a minimum of five-years’ court experience.  He hired an exceptional Chief Administrator with extensive background in the court system, including the Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office.  Mr. Briney followed that with the installation of the latest computer technology and the development of a superior support staff wielding years of experience in law enforcement, probation, mitigation, records, and other related fields.