Sacramento County has selected Tiffanie Leon-Synnott to serve as the County’s next Conflict Criminal Defender, effective May 1, 2026, following a competitive selection process conducted in partnership with the Sacramento Superior Court.
Conflict Criminal Defenders (CCD) serve as the County’s secondary provider of indigent defense services, representing clients when the Public Defender is unable to accept cases due to a conflict of interest or when attorney caseloads require additional support. The Sacramento Superior Court appoints CCD to ensure that all individuals receive constitutionally mandated legal representation.
Leon-Synnott was selected by a panel of County and Superior Court representatives based on her extensive experience in indigent defense and her proven leadership within the CCD program.
A licensed attorney, Leon-Synnott has served under contract with Sacramento County since 2023, most recently as Deputy Director and Acting Director of CCD. She assumed the role of Acting Director on March 1, 2025. Prior to joining CCD, she spent 22 years with the Sacramento County Office of the Public Defender, where she built a strong foundation in criminal defense and public service.
In her new role, Leon-Synnott will oversee all aspects of the CCD program, including ensuring the provision of high-quality defense services for clients, managing the program’s budget, and reviewing claims submitted by assigned attorneys and ancillary service providers.
For more information, visit the Conflict Criminal Defenders website.