§29-21-7. Criminal Law Research Center Established; Functions
(a) Within the agency, there shall be a division known as the criminal law research center which may: (1) Undertake research, studies and analyses and act as a central repository, clearinghouse and disseminator of research materials;
§29-21-8. Public Defender Corporations; Establishment Thereof
(a) (1) In each judicial circuit of the state, there is hereby created a public defender corporation of the circuit: Provided, That the executive director, with the approval of the Indigent Defense Commission, may authorize the creation, merger or dissolution of a public defender corporation in a judicial circuit where the creation, merger or dissolution […]
§29-21-9. Panel Attorneys
(a) In each circuit of the state, the circuit court shall establish and maintain regional and local panels of private attorneys-at-law who are available to serve as counsel for eligible clients. An attorney-at-law may become a panel attorney and be enrolled on the regional or local panel, or both, to serve as counsel for eligible […]
§29-21-13. Approval of Public Defender Corporation Funding Applications; Funding; Recordkeeping by Public Defender Corporations
(a) On or before May 1 of each year, each active public defender corporation shall submit to the executive director and the commission a funding application and a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year. The accounting and auditing division shall review all funding applications and prepare recommendations for an operating plan and annual budget […]
§29-21-4. Purpose and Duties of Public Defender Services
The agency shall have as its principal purpose the development and improvement of programs by which the state provides legal representation to indigent persons.
§29-21-5. Executive Director
(a) The Governor shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the executive director of Public Defender Services, who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Governor. The executive director shall be a qualified administrator as determined by the Governor, and shall be a member of the bar of […]
§29-21-2. Definitions
As used in this article, the following words and phrases are hereby defined: (1) "Eligible client": Any person who meets the requirements established by this article to receive publicly funded legal representation in an eligible proceeding as defined herein;
§29-21-3. Establishment of Public Defender Services
There is hereby created an executive agency known as Public Defender Services. The agency shall administer, coordinate and evaluate programs by which the state provides legal representation to indigent persons, monitor the progress of various delivery systems and recommend improvements. The agency shall maintain its office at the state Capitol.
§29-21-3b. Indigent Defense Commission
(a) There is hereby established the Indigent Defense Commission to provide assistance to Public Defender Services with regard to the general policies and procedures of the agency, including, but not limited to, the opening, closing, or merging of public defender offices throughout the state and the establishment of performance measures for the qualitative review of […]
§29-21-1. Legislative Findings; Purpose
The Legislature finds and declares that in certain proceedings the state is required to provide high quality legal assistance to indigent persons who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel; that providing legal representation to those who face an economic barrier to adequate legal counsel will serve the ends of justice in accordance […]