And with thousands of cases per year, the State Public Defender's Office said it has a crisis on its hands.

Kevin O'Brien started working as a public defender in Boone County seven years ago, and he's seen his share of tough cases.

"It takes a toll on their psyche, and it takes a toll on their mood and how they handle their job and they leave. It happens, often," O'Brien said.

Missouri's public defenders hear around 90,000 cases annually. And with around 350 defenders working across the state, that's an average of more than 200 cases per person. Officials said they need more than 100 more attorneys to make the case load reasonable.

For public defenders in the state of Missouri, this isn't a new issue. Now the Public Defender's Office said it will be appealing to take a small step in what's a much bigger issue.

"We keep deluding the representation that the indigent person is able to get, and mistakes will be made, and are being made," State Defender's Office Director Marty Robinson said.

A recent New York Times article said public defenders in at least seven states are now turning away cases.

Officials report Missouri is 'on the verge of a collapse.'

"If you are the indigent person that has been wrongfully convicted, it's already collapsed to you," Robinson said.

The State Public Defender's Office is currently working on an appeal that would allow them to refuse misdemeanor cases that will not result in jail time.