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State Appellate Public Defender asks for deputy attorney to reduce contracting costs
Summary
At a Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee hearing, the State Appellate Public Defender described a rising caseload and asked for funding and a new deputy attorney position that officials said would save money versus continued reliance on outside counsel.
Christopher Lahoset, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that the Office of the State Appellate Public Defender is requesting funding for an additional deputy attorney and authorization to reappropriate remaining one-time funds tied to an earlier supplemental.
The request would create a deputy state appellate public defender position to take non‑capital felony, misdemeanor and juvenile district and post‑conviction appeals. Lahoset said the office estimated contracting overflow cases would cost outside law firms about $254,000 per year, while hiring an in‑state attorney at an estimated $140,000 salary would yield cost savings.
The agency has 26…
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