Jean Wilkinson is the Chief Deputy of the Orange County Public Defender's Office and has been an attorney with that office since 1983. As a deputy public defender, she represented indigent clients in the criminal justice system in a wide variety of cases, including homicides and capital case, throughout the Orange County Courts. In her capacity as manager, she has been instrumental in helping develop the WIT, RC, Veterans' and Homeless Courts. Ms. Wilkinson was the first public defender attorney to represent the clients participating in Homeless Court, and remains involved in client case management and court representation. She attended University of San Diego School of Law, where she graduated with honors; she served on the AOC Task Force For Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues and is currently a Board Representative of California Public Defender's Association.