Manohar Raju
CA · Public Defender, City and County of San Francisco
Career defense attorney who joined the San Francisco Public Defender's Office in 2008 and managed its felony division; holds a law degree from UC Berkeley. Priorities: reducing incarceration and defending immigrants' rights and civil liberties.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 5 records
The First District Court of Appeal stayed enforcement of the $26,000 contempt sanction imposed on him as San Francisco Public Defender, on April 8, 2026.
April 8, 2026
Source: sfpublicdefender.org
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman held him in contempt on 26 counts and fined him $26,000 on March 24, 2026, after his office declined appointment in 26 felony cases, saying its attorneys lacked the capacity to take them.
March 24, 2026
Source: nbcbayarea.com
His office and Impact Justice expanded the Homecoming Project, a six-month reentry housing program for people recently released from prison, to San Francisco; they announced it on November 13, 2025.
November 13, 2025
Source: sfpublicdefender.org
His office co-sponsored Assembly Bill 321, the Better Informed Decisions (BID) Act on judicial review of criminal charging decisions, which Governor Newsom signed into law on October 11, 2025.
October 11, 2025
Source: sfpublicdefender.org
Elected Public Defender of San Francisco (current)
March 11, 2019
Source: sfpublicdefender.org
Past race Manohar Raju ran in:
- Public Defender · November 3, 2026 · San Francisco County, California · incumbent