(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly in the transition to a state-funded public defender system to provide an appropriate and adequate level of legal representation to indigent persons in all areas of the state. It is recognized by the General Assembly that in many areas of the state, resources have not been […]
(a) The Arkansas Public Defender Commission shall be responsible for the payment of the following: (1) The salaries of public defenders; (2) The salaries of secretaries and other support staff of the public defender’s office; (3) The payment of the costs of certain expenses, as authorized by § 16-87-212. (b) Each county or counties within […]
(a) Each person selected as a public defender shall be: (1) Licensed to practice law in the State of Arkansas; and (2) Experienced in the defense of criminal cases. (b) (1) Any person interested in being considered for appointment as a public defender in a judicial district shall submit his or her name to the […]
(a) There shall be created within the Arkansas Public Defender Commission a number of positions, including chief public defenders, public defenders, investigators, and secretaries. (b) (1) The commission shall allocate positions to each county or judicial district based on an appropriate formula adopted by the commission. (2) In the distribution of positions, the commission shall […]
(a) The entry level salaries of public defenders and public defender staff positions shall be consistent with that established by the state pay plan for the appropriate grade of each position. (b) The public defenders and public defender staff positions shall be subject to the Uniform Attendance and Leave Policy Act, § 21-4-201 et seq.
The public defender in each judicial district shall have the following duties: (1) (A) To defend indigents within the district as determined by the circuit, municipal, or juvenile courts in the district in all: (i) Felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, guardianship, and mental health cases; (ii) Traffic cases punishable by incarceration; and (iii) Contempt proceedings punishable by […]
(a) If a court determines that a conflict of interest exists between an indigent person and a public defender, the case shall be reassigned as follows: (1) If there is within the county or judicial district another public defender, the appointment of whom would not create a conflict of interest, the judge shall appoint that […]
