County struggles to fill public defender positions after state mandate; alternate office stays flat

County public defender leadership and commissioners discussed state-mandated increases in public-defense staffing and continuing difficulty filling positions.

Wright, department head for the alternate public defender’s office, told the board his office requested a level budget with no extraordinary asks. Jacob Summer, the county public defender (appearing by phone), said the office’s budget increased roughly $4,000 from last year to this year to reflect actual utility and building costs after moving into a new courthouse, and that the office hired one attorney and is advertising for a public defender II.

County staff explained the change is driven by a Department of Indigent Defense (DIDS) requirement issued in October 2024 that required rural counties to increase public-defense staffing levels. County officials said the mandate added roughly five attorney positions and additional support staff statewide for rural counties; Churchill County has so far filled one support position and one attorney position against that requirement and expects savings from unfilled positions later in the fiscal year.

Commissioners and staff discussed salary levels and recruitment strategy; the public defender office said it has advertised at the Public Defender II level to attract applicants, while also trying to hire entry-level Public Defender I candidates to build a trained staff. County staff cautioned that mandated positions increase budgetary pressure and that final budget decisions will need to account for revenue to match the positions if they remain unfilled.