New Jersey / Office of the Public Defender

Agency file

Office of the Public Defender

Source file: New Jersey — YourMoney State Payroll / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Office of the Public Defender handles legal functions of government — prosecution, legal advice, and representing the state in court.

In 2024, this agency had 672 employees with median total compensation of $86,980; the highest distinct record was $185,424.

Year: 2024
Total payroll: $60.2M
Employees: 672
Median total: $86,980
Highest record: $185,424

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$223$162,947+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2024 total compensation is spread across the 672 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($86,980) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $87,991 (98%)
Overtime — $40 (0%)
Other — $1,486 (2%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$45,849

$62,261

$86,980

$115,845

$136,555

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $136,555 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $45,849. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 2

175 · $109,634

Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr

108 · $74,815

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3

67 · $138,910

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1

56 · $85,071

Legal Secretary 2

56 · $47,864

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2023	$57.6M —	720 —	$79,789 —
2024	$60.2M ▲ 4.5%	672 ▼ 6.7%	$86,980 ▲ 9.0%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Lynette Rente

Assistant Public Defender/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$147,757

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $145,063
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,694
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $147,757
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Managerial - Unit M
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Rente, Lynette
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 107365
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $195,000
Year-to-Date Earnings: $147,757

Lynette Rente is a Assistant Public Defender at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $147,757. Union affiliation: Managerial - Unit M.

Lashawn Williams

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$147,588

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $145,903
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,686
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $147,588
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: Y

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Williams, Lashawn Y
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 14224
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $147,588

At Office of the Public Defender, Lashawn Williams serves as a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. Their 2024 pay totaled $147,588. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Maria Borges

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$147,588

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $145,903
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,686
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $147,588
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Borges, Maria E
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 102857
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $147,588

Maria Borges is a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $147,588. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Elton Anglada

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$147,588

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $145,903
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,686
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $147,588
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Anglada, Elton
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 159469
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $147,588

Elton Anglada holds the role of Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2024, their total compensation was $147,588. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Ronald Appleby

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$146,573

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $144,945
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,628
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $146,573
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Appleby, Ronald C
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 106545
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $146,573

Ronald Appleby works as a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 for Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. Ronald earned $146,573 in 2024. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Patrick Madden

Assistant Deputy Public Advocate 1/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$146,573

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $144,945
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,628
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $146,573
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Madden, Patrick
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 11365
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $146,573

Patrick Madden works as a Assistant Deputy Public Advocate 1 for Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. Patrick earned $146,573 in 2024. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Janet Costello

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$145,423

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $143,796
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,626
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $145,423
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Costello, Janet L
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 157602
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $145,423

Janet Costello works as a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 for Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. Janet earned $145,423 in 2024. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Tiffany Silver

Dpty Publ Defndr 2/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$143,922

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $141,261
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,661
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $143,922
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Managerial (Represented-Ibew)
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Silver, Tiffany
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 1179
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $146,816
Year-to-Date Earnings: $143,922

Tiffany Silver holds the role of Dpty Publ Defndr 2 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2024, their total compensation was $143,922. They are represented by Managerial (Represented-Ibew).

Peter Blum

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$142,685

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $141,057
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,628
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $142,685
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Blum, Peter
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 116428
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $142,685

Peter Blum is a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $142,685. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Patricia Soffer

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$142,685

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $141,057
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,628
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $142,685
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Soffer, Patricia A
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 14413
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $142,685

Patricia Soffer is a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $142,685. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Rebecca Baumgarten

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$142,685

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $141,057
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,628
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $142,685
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Baumgarten, Rebecca
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 142943
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $149,074
Year-to-Date Earnings: $142,685

Rebecca Baumgarten is a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $142,685. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Claire Pellerito

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$142,644

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $140,900
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,744
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $142,644
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Pellerito, Claire L
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 1625
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $154,226
Year-to-Date Earnings: $142,644

Claire Pellerito works as a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 3 for Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. Claire earned $142,644 in 2024. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.