Court reviews Texas Indigent Defense Improvement Grant and designates program contacts

Wilson County commissioners reviewed a resolution to apply for the Texas Indigent Defense Commission'funded Indigent Defense Improvement Grant for fiscal 2026 and designated county staff to administer the award. The resolution cites the Texas Government Code 79.37 and the Texas Administrative Code (as referenced in the transcript) as the enabling authorities for counties to receive funds.

The resolution designates the county judge as the authorized official to apply for and accept the grant; it names Caleb Otto as the program director and designates the county auditor as the financial officer for the award. The staff presentation said the grant funds two indigent-defense coordinator positions and that funding for those positions begins transitioning in year 5 so that the county's share will be 20% in that year. "We are in year 5 of this grant," the presenter said; staff said they are coordinating with District Judge Jennifer Billingham on pro rata cost-sharing because the positions serve multiple judicial districts.

Meeting discussion clarified the grant's funding structure: staff reported the grant was initially fully funded in year 1 and is reduced by 20 percentage points each year thereafter, such that by year 5 the county would cover the remaining share. The presenter said the county will request other counties that receive services from the coordinators to pay their prorated portion of the positions' cost.

The resolution text in the transcript includes the phrase "adopted on this July 2025." The transcript records discussion and the reading of the resolution; a clear roll-call vote or motion outcome is not included in the excerpt provided.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about cost-sharing after the grant declines; staff said they are working with the district judge to finalize pro rata allocations among counties. The presentation named the positions, explained the county'level administration and identified the county judge, program director and auditor as the designated officials in the event the county accepts the grant.