Public Defender Act

The Public Defender Act governs the delivery of publicly funded legal representation to people who cannot afford to hire their own counsel. It establishes a state public defender commission with a dedicated fund and an executive director, and organizes defense services into offices covering trial-level work and capital, conflicts, and appellate matters, along with a division serving as an ombudsman for juveniles. It further sets how public defender positions are funded, distributed, filled, and compensated, defines their duties and the conduct and conflicts of interest barred to them, and provides mechanisms for certifying indigency, setting schedules of costs for legal services, and assessing and recovering fees owed.

Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.