Heidi Rae Freese

Heidi R. Freese is an accomplished attorney who has dedicated her career to the defense of indigent federal criminal defendants. Appointed as the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in September 2017, Heidi was reappointed in 2021, underscoring her commitment to seeking equal justice for all. During her tenure as the Federal Public Defender, the office’s appellate unit notably litigated two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2023-2024 term, reflecting her involvement in high-stakes litigation.

During Heidi’s service as the Federal Public Defender, she managed an independent case load while overseeing the Middle District’s federal defender operations. In this leadership position, Heidi also oversaw the selection and management of Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel attorneys and hired and supervised attorneys and staff. Heidi handled all aspects of management and honed her creative problem-solving and leadership skills. Prior to her appointment as Federal Public Defender, Heidi served for ten years as an Assistant Federal Public Defender. In this capacity, she acted as lead counsel in hundreds of federal criminal cases, litigated complex competency and pretrial motions, conducted numerous jury and non-jury trials, and represented defendants and witnesses in grand jury investigations. Heidi also has extensive experience in handling complex sentencing proceedings and in representing defendants in non-capital habeas corpus petitions, one of which led to the overturning of a York County murder conviction in federal court.

Earlier in her career, Heidi was appointed to serve as a Juvenile Delinquency Master, where she presided over emergency detention and juvenile delinquency hearings for the York County Court of Common Pleas. Her role included conducting restitution hearings, reviewing juvenile placements, and drafting findings of fact and recommendations to the court. Heidi also worked as an Associate Attorney in the private sector, practicing criminal defense in state and federal courts. During this period, she also represented over 400 court-appointed clients in York County, served as a CJA panel attorney, and earned her death penalty certification, handling cases ranging from minor traffic offenses to capital homicide.

In addition to her extensive legal practice, Heidi Freese is actively involved in academia. She serves as Adjunct Faculty at Penn State Dickinson Law, where she teaches Federal Criminal Practice and serves as the school’s Criminal Justice Externship Faculty Advisor. Heidi has also served as a Guest Lecturer on a variety of topics and a Trial Team Advisor for the school’s American Association of Justice (AAJ) team formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Heidi has done significant work in the areas of Diversity & Inclusion, promoting equitable practices within the local, regional, and national legal communities. Furthermore, based on her interests and extensive community service in the youth sports arena, she aims to branch into NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) representation.

Appointments:
-Appointed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 2017 for a renewable four year term. Reappointed in 2021. Two cases went before the U.S. Supreme Court during her 2023-2024 term

Federal Court Work:
-Third Circuit Advisory Committee: Chair (2023), Vice-Chair (2022)
-CJA Management & Selection Committee: Co-Chair with Chief Judge (2017-2024)
-United States Magistrate Judge Reappointment Committee (Martin C. Carlson, 2017)
-United States Magistrate Judge Selection Committee (Daryl F. Bloom, 2023)
-Plan for Reinstitution of Jury Proceedings, Drafted and Presented with Court
-MDPA COVID-19 Committee
-Bench Bar Committee: Served on Board of Judges committee, 2016