US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

                                  TITLE  19
                              CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
                                  CHAPTER 8
                      EXAMINATION OF CASE AND DISCHARGE
                           OR COMMITMENT OF ACCUSED
    19-859.  PUBLIC DEFENDER AUTHORIZED -- COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS -- JOINT
COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDERS. (a) The board of county commissioners of each county
shall provide for the representation of needy persons who with respect to
serious crimes are subject to proceedings in the county or are detained in the
county by law enforcement officers. They shall provide this representation by:
    (1)  establishing and maintaining an office of public defender;
    (2)  arranging with the courts of criminal jurisdiction in the county to
assign attorneys on an equitable basis through a systematic, coordinated plan;
or
    (3)  adopting a combination of these alternatives.
Until the board elects an alternative, it shall be considered as having
elected alternative (a)(2).
    (b)  If it elects to establish and maintain an office of public defender,
the board of county commissioners of a county may join with the board of
county commissioners of one (1) or more other counties to establish and
maintain a joint office of public defender. In that case, the participating
counties shall be treated for the purposes of this act as if they were one (1)
county.
    (c)  If the board of county commissioners of a county elects to arrange
with the courts of criminal jurisdiction in the county to assign attorneys, a
court of the county may provide for advance assignment of attorneys, subject
to later approval by it, to facilitate representation of matters arising
before appearance in court.