Lake County’s Senior Deputy County Counsel, Carlos Torrez, has been appointed interim public defendery, effective immediately, replacing Raymond Buenaventura, who left for Monterey County. Torrez, a California State Bar member since 2009, was crucial in establishing the statutory Public Defender’s Office in 2023. Despite the office’s criticized performance, the county lauded Torrez’s decade of public service, legal acumen, and leadership in complex litigation, highlighting his professionalism and commitment to justice. He will lead the criminal defense, juvenile, and probate/conservatorship divisions.