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Peoria County public defender reports staffing losses, steady caseload share
Summary
Public defender Kevin Lowe told Peoria County members the office lost three contract attorneys but continues to handle the majority of criminal cases; detention- and juvenile-related appointments remain especially high.
Kevin Lowe, Peoria County public defender, told the commission that his office has lost three part-time contract attorneys in recent months but continues to cover the majority of criminal appointments across courtrooms.
Lowe said the office now has six full‑time attorneys (including himself) and uses part‑time independent contractors to meet demand. "We have 6 full time attorneys, that includes me, and the remainder are independent contractors," he said. "We lost 3 of our contractors over the over the past few months." Lowe praised one departing contractor, Karen Camp, who recently became a judge and had served in misdemeanor and juvenile courts.
The report, submitted as a quarterly update, summarized caseload percentages for 2024. Lowe told members that in Q3 the public defender's office was appointed in 214 of 242 new felony cases (about 88.4 percent) and 244 of 257 misdemeanor cases (about 94.9 percent). He said appointment rates vary by courtroom: in juvenile delinquency the office was appointed in 89 of 93 cases (95.7 percent), while in DUI court it was appointed in 41 of 97 cases (below 50 percent) because more defendants in that courtroom tend to hire private counsel.
Lowe also reported detention‑hearing coverage for 2024: "In 2024, there were a total of 702 detention hearings, and we handled 685 of those, and that represents 97.6%." He noted problem‑solving courts remained fully covered by the office and that administrative staff increased by one position (a paralegal, Daniela Martinez), improving the office's capacity. Lowe said recruitment is active, with recent and upcoming interviews for entry‑level attorneys.
No formal action was taken on the report; Lowe opened the floor for questions and none were raised at that time.
Background: Lowe said his office previously reported monthly and has moved to quarterly reports; the figures cited cover through Q3 2024 (January 1–September 30). The numbers Lowe presented were included in tables attached to his quarterly report.
