2018 New York Laws
CNT - County
Article 18-A - Public Defender
716 - Public Defender; Appointment; Term; Other Employees.

§  716. Public defender; appointment; term; other employees. The board
  of supervisors of any county may create an office of public defender, or
  may authorize a contract between its county and one or more  other  such
  counties  to create an office of public defender to serve such counties.
  A city may create an office of public  defender  in  any  county  wholly
  contained within its borders and such city shall possess with respect to
  such  office all the powers conferred upon a board of supervisors by the
  provisions of this article. The  board  or  boards  of  supervisors  may
  designate  an  attorney-at-law as public defender and shall fix his term
  and compensation. Subject to the approval of such board or  boards,  the
  public  defender  may  appoint  as  many  assistant  attorneys,  clerks,
  investigators,  stenographers  and  other  employees  as  he  may   deem
  necessary  and  as  shall  be  authorized by such board or boards.   The
  public defender shall fix the compensation of such aides and  assistants
  within  the  amounts  such  board  or  boards  may  appropriate for such
  purposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of  law  relating  to  the
  creation of county offices, where the board of supervisors of any county
  has  established  an  office  of  public  defender  by  resolution,  and
  thereafter such office is created by  local  law,  such  local  law  may
  authorize the payment of compensation and other expenses incurred in the
  operation of said office retroactive to the date of the adoption of said
  resolution.