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Assigned counsel and DA say Tompkins can absorb state discovery changes; an advisory appointment is approved
Summary
Assigned counsel warned May 27 that changes to New York State discovery requirements could have raised indigent‑defense costs substantially, but said the county can likely avoid a large budget hit because the district attorney’s office intends to continue timely discovery.
Assigned counsel and the district attorney addressed the committee May 27 about possible budget impacts from recent changes to New York State discovery requirements included in the state budget.
Assigned counsel presented a worst‑case budget scenario showing increased attorney time could add tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs depending on the hours per case. Using the committee presentation’s examples, an additional 2.5 hours per 100 cases would amount to roughly $39,500; 10 extra hours per 100 cases would approach $158,000; and 10 hours across 200 cases could approach $316,000, the assigned counsel said. He noted the office handles roughly 300 felony cases a year, where discovery demands are typically highest.
The district attorney told the committee his office intends to continue providing discovery promptly despite statutory changes, and that approach should limit budgetary impact for Tompkins County. "They're not changing. They're just gonna keep doing what we think is right," the district attorney said when asked whether discovery practices would change.
Appointment to the advisory board on indigent representation
The committee also considered and approved an appointment to the county Advisory Board on Indigent Representation. The committee moved and seconded a motion to appoint Jerome Myersack; the motion passed unanimously.
What this means
Assigned counsel told the committee the county could have seen a substantial increase in indigent defense costs under some interpretations of the law, but the DA’s stated commitment to continue timely discovery reduces the short‑term fiscal risk. Committee members asked for continued monitoring and said they would request more specific budget estimates if discovery workload shifts materially.
