Federal Public Defender District of Oregon

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At dawn, when most courthouses are quiet, a mysterious figure began leaving bouquets of flowers outside the Federal Public Defender’s office in Portland. No one knew who the sender was or why they chose that particular building. One morning, a delivery driver left a box of donuts with a note: ‘For the tireless defenders of justice.’ Everyone laughed—it turned out the cookies were for the receptionist next door.

2. At lunchtime, when the courthouse cafeteria buzzed with lawyers’ banter, someone started leaving anonymous notes on judges’ desks. Each note contained only one word: ‘Guilty.’ It turned out that a regular delivery driver was responsible for the prank—apparently, he had a sense of humor and wanted to liven up the place. Soon enough, everyone was laughing, including the judges who received those mysterious notes.

3. In the dead of night, a shadowy figure whispered into an empty hallway: ‘I’ll take that case.’ Since then, strange documents have occasionally appeared on judges’ desks—typed in perfect handwriting but unsigned. One morning, a sleep-deprived judge found a briefcase filled with impeccably argued motions. Signed only with a simple note: 'Best wishes from your new favorite defender.' The judge smiled and quipped, 'At least now I know who to blame when things go wrong!'

4. At midnight, when only the night janitor lingered in the empty corridors, a soft humming could be heard from within the courtroom doors. No one dared investigate until the next morning, when the hum had transformed into a harmonious melody played on invisible strings. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just an old piano left behind by a regular who used to practice here before hours were changed. The janitor smiled and said, 'Guess he never got around to taking his baby home.'