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

Sorah Benshabat

Senior Clerk Typist/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$6,452

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $5,798
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $653
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $6,452
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Benshabat, Sorah
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 150732
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $44,340
Year-to-Date Earnings: $6,452

At Office of the Public Defender, Sorah Benshabat serves as a Senior Clerk Typist within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. Their 2024 pay totaled $6,452. They are represented by Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A.

Kelsey Godin

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$6,296

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $5,799
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $497
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $6,296
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: Godin, Kelsey L
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 169890
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $75,386
Year-to-Date Earnings: $6,296

Kelsey Godin is a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $6,296. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Jennifer Ramos

Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$6,227

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $4,928
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,299
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $6,227
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: Ramos, Jennifer
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 140288
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $83,118
Year-to-Date Earnings: $6,227

Jennifer Ramos holds the role of Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr 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 $6,227. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Iris Sasso

Attorney Assistant/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$6,067

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $2,615
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,452
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $6,067
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, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Sasso, Iris
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 134414
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $68,241
Year-to-Date Earnings: $6,067

Iris Sasso holds the role of Attorney Assistant at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2023, their total compensation was $6,067. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Shawn Paullin

Senior Clerk Typist/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$5,701

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $4,761
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $941
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $5,701
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Paullin, Shawn
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 159941
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $41,417
Year-to-Date Earnings: $5,701

Shawn Paullin works as a Senior Clerk Typist for Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. Shawn earned $5,701 in 2023. They are represented by Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A.

Laura Schweitzer

Secretary Assistant 3/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$5,184

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $3,006
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,178
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $5,184
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Schweitzer, Laura
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 17000
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $78,451
Year-to-Date Earnings: $5,184

Laura Schweitzer holds the role of Secretary Assistant 3 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2023, their total compensation was $5,184. They are represented by Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A.

Haley Farrell

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$5,167

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $4,738
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $429
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $5,167
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: Farrell, Haley
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 167824
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $82,130
Year-to-Date Earnings: $5,167

At Office of the Public Defender, Haley Farrell serves as a Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1 within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. Their 2024 pay totaled $5,167. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Xilena Woods

Attorney Assistant/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$3,905

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $3,780
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $125
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $3,905
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Woods, Xilena B
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 129160
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $75,898
Year-to-Date Earnings: $3,905

Xilena Woods is a Attorney Assistant at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2023 total compensation came to $3,905. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Deborah Butler

Senior Clerk Typist/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$3,606

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $3,606
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $3,606
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Butler, Deborah
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 104386
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $49,528
Year-to-Date Earnings: $3,606

At Office of the Public Defender, Deborah Butler serves as a Senior Clerk Typist within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. Their 2024 pay totaled $3,606. Their bargaining unit is Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A.

Angela Chirico

Senior Clerk Typist/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$3,007

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $1,587
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,420
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $3,007
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: null

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Chirico, Angela
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 149613
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $41,417
Year-to-Date Earnings: $3,007

Angela Chirico holds the role of Senior Clerk Typist at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2023, their total compensation was $3,007. Union affiliation: Administrative and Clerical Services (Cwa) - Unit A.

Nicho Simmons-Graham

Invstgr Apprntc Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$1,373

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $845
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $528
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $1,373
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: Simmons-Graham, Nicho
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 152181
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $54,907
Year-to-Date Earnings: $1,373

Nicho Simmons-Graham is a Invstgr Apprntc Publ Defndr at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $1,373. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Latosha Kearney

Attorney Assistant/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$786

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $786
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $786
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: Kearney, Latosha
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 146239
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $75,913
Year-to-Date Earnings: $786

Latosha Kearney holds the role of Attorney Assistant 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 $786. They are represented by Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Classie Colinet

Assistant Deputy Public Defender 2/Office of the Public Defender

2023 total comp

$513

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $513
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $513
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, 2023
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Colinet, Classie
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 104418
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $104,202
Year-to-Date Earnings: $513

Classie Colinet holds the role of Assistant Deputy Public Defender 2 at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Their hire date on record is null. In 2023, their total compensation was $513. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Robert Morales

Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$509

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $509
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $509
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: Morales, Robert
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 117398
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $80,404
Year-to-Date Earnings: $509

At Office of the Public Defender, Robert Morales serves as a Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. Their 2024 pay totaled $509. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Juan Tenreiro

Invstgr 2 Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$381

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $381
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $381
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Primary Level Supervisors (Cwa) - Unit R
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Tenreiro, Juan J
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 129590
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $102,454
Year-to-Date Earnings: $381

Juan Tenreiro is a Invstgr 2 Publ Defndr at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $381. Their bargaining unit is Primary Level Supervisors (Cwa) - Unit R.

Nidia Fernandez

Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$243

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $243
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $243
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: Fernandez, Nidia E
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 102548
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $86,031
Year-to-Date Earnings: $243

Nidia Fernandez is a Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr at Office of the Public Defender within Office of the Public Defender. Records show a hire date of null. 2024 total compensation came to $243. Their bargaining unit is Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.

Stephen Schilling

Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr/Office of the Public Defender

2024 total comp

$223

Sub-department: Office of the Public Defender
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $223
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $223
Hire date: null
Union / bargaining unit: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P
Pay basis: Annual
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

As-of Date: Dec 31, 2024
Calendar Quarter: 4
Full Name: Schilling, Stephen M
Paid Section Description: null
Payroll ID: 137127
Record Type: Master
Salary Hourly Rate: $68,660
Year-to-Date Earnings: $223

Stephen Schilling holds the role of Invstgr 1 Publ Defndr 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 $223. Union affiliation: Professional Unit (Cwa) - Unit P.