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Ark. Code Ann. § 16-87-306

Duties

Known as the Public Defender Act

The act spans §§ 16–16 (23 sections).

Applied in 3 court decisions — leading case Arkansas Public Defender Commission v. Greene County Circuit Court (2000)

Most recently applied in Johnson v. State (May 2005)

Acts 1997, No. 788, § 16; 1997, No. 1341, § 16; 2001, No. 1799, § 11.

The public defender in each judicial district shall have the following duties:

(1) To defend indigents within the district as determined by the circuit, municipal, or juvenile courts in the district in all: Felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, guardianship, and mental health cases;

(2) Traffic cases punishable by incarceration; and

(3) Contempt proceedings punishable by incarceration.

(4) Except for juvenile representation in family in need of services cases, in no case may a public defender be appointed or the commission be responsible for payment where there is no risk of incarceration or loss of liberty; and

(5) In all capital cases where the death penalty is sought, two (2) attorneys shall be appointed, unless the prosecuting attorney informs the circuit court at the arraignment of the defendant that the death penalty will not be sought.

(6) The Capital, Conflicts, and Appellate Office of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission may be appointed, consistent with § 16-87-205.

(7) It should be presumed for purposes of this section that the death penalty will be sought.

Current official text: Arkansas General Assembly. Digitized from the UniCourt Code Improvement Commission public-domain capture. Reproduced from public-domain Arkansas statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.