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Nueces County public defender reports 3,115 appointments since 2023 start; staffing and long‑term funding flagged as concerns
Summary
The public defender’s office told commissioners it has handled 3,115 appointed cases since opening, closed 2,548 and carries about 577 open cases; the office is operating with six lawyers and several vacancies and warned the county will need to plan for funding when the initial grant ends.
The Nueces County Public Defender’s Office updated commissioners on caseload, staffing and service delivery on Feb. 26.
Dennis (public defender), who leads the office, reported the office has been appointed to 3,115 cases since it began representation in May 2023 and has closed 2,548 cases, leaving about 577 open. He said the office currently has six lawyers working in the office and three lawyer vacancies that remain posted. "We consistently carry between 50–60 pending cases with the six lawyers we have," he told…
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