Hartenstein Poor & Foster wins Wichita public defender contract

Hartenstein Poor & Foster LLC will take over the City Public Defender office in Wichita after unanimous City Council approval on Oct. 13, 2026. The firm will represent more than 4,000 indigent defendants and pair criminal defense with behavioral health and social services coordination.

Why it matters: - The contract puts one of Kansas’ largest private indigent defense firms in charge of representing more than 4,000 Wichita defendants. - The city’s public defense system will now be paired more directly with behavioral health and social services support, which could affect how municipal cases are handled.

What happened: - Hartenstein Poor & Foster LLC accepted a contract to operate the City Public Defender office in Wichita. - The Wichita City Council unanimously approved the contract at its Oct. 13, 2026 meeting. - The firm will represent more than 4,000 indigent criminal defendants in the Wichita municipal court system.

The details: - Managing Member Scott B. Poor said the firm is positioned to serve Wichita and bring experience to reform the city’s response to poverty, addiction and mental health. - Member Sarah M. Foster said the firm aims to increase efficiency and improve the quality of representation. - Foster said the firm works collaboratively with behavioral health and social services agencies. - Foster said the goal is to use community resources to help people improve their lives and avoid future legal problems. - Hartenstein Poor & Foster describes itself as the largest private indigent defense contractor in Kansas. - The firm says its collaborative defense work focuses on cases involving substance use and mental health concerns. - The firm also maintains a civil rights litigation practice group for individuals whose rights have been violated.

Between the lines: - Wichita is signaling interest in a defense model that goes beyond courtroom representation and into treatment and services. - The move suggests the city wants faster handling of cases and fewer repeat legal issues tied to untreated behavioral health needs.

What's next: - Hartenstein Poor & Foster will begin operating the City Public Defender office under the approved contract. - The firm’s approach will likely be watched as a test case for whether collaborative defense can improve outcomes in municipal court.

The bottom line: - Wichita is outsourcing public defense to a firm betting that legal representation plus social services can change outcomes for low-income defendants.