2019 Maryland Code
Criminal Procedure
Title 16 - Office of the Public Defender
Subtitle 3 - Board of Trustees; Regional Advisory Boards.
§ 16-301. Board of Trustees

    (a)    There is a Board of Trustees of the Office of the Public Defender.

    (b)    The Board of Trustees consists of 13 members.

    (c)    (1)    Each member of the Board of Trustees shall be a resident of the State.

        (2)    11 members of the Board of Trustees shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall include a representative of each judicial circuit of the State.

        (3)    All members of the Board of Trustees shall be active attorneys admitted to practice before the Court of Appeals of Maryland.

        (4)    One member shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.

        (5)    One member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates.

        (6)    Each member appointed to the Board of Trustees shall:

            (i)    have significant experience in criminal defense or other matters relevant to the work of the Board of Trustees; or

            (ii)    have demonstrated a strong commitment to quality representation of indigent defendants, including juvenile respondents.

        (7)    A member of the Board of Trustees may not be:

            (i)    a current member or employee of:

                1.    the Judicial Branch; or

                2.    a law enforcement agency in the State; or

            (ii)    1.    a State’s Attorney of a county or municipal corporation of the State;

                2.    the Attorney General of Maryland; or

                3.    the State Prosecutor.

    (d)    (1)    The term of an appointed member of the Board of Trustees is 3 years.

        (2)    The terms of appointed members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Board of Trustees on October 1, 2010.

        (3)    A vacancy occurring on the Board of Trustees during the term of a member shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for appointments in this section.

        (4)    At the end of a term a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

        (5)    A member whose term has expired may be reappointed to the Board of Trustees.

    (e)    (1)    The Board of Trustees annually shall elect a chair from among its members.

        (2)    The chair shall preside over and represent the interests of the Board of Trustees in carrying out this title.

    (f)    Seven members of the Board of Trustees are a quorum.

    (g)    (1)    The Board of Trustees shall hold at least one regular annual meeting at a time and place that the chair designates.

        (2)    Additional meetings shall be held as necessary and may be called on notice by the chair or at the request of at least two members of the Board of Trustees.

    (h)    A member of the Board of Trustees:

        (1)    may not receive compensation for serving on the Board of Trustees; but

        (2)    is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.