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House bill to allow routine remote appearances by public defenders draws mixed testimony; magistrates worry about client contact
Summary
House Bill 116, carried by Rep. Valerie Moore for the Office of the Public Defender, would encourage courts to allow routine remote appearances for scheduling and administrative hearings to reduce travel time and speed appointments of counsel in rural counties.
Representative Valerie Moore opened House Bill 116, an agency bill brought by the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), telling the Senate Judiciary Committee it would encourage courts to allow remote appearances for routine, administrative proceedings — such as scheduling and certain arraignments — to reduce travel time and the delays OPD reports in assigning counsel.
OPD witnesses described roughly 16,000 hours of travel time logged by the office last year and said the agency’s limited staff and contractor supply make it…
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