Public defender asks county to absorb supplemental costs as state rules limit use of special fund

The county's public defender presented a major budget request during the hearing, saying state guidance from the Indiana Public Defender Commission prevents using the supplemental public-defender account for many predictable, recurring expenses and that the office now needs significant general-fund support.

Public Defender Steve (last name not specified in the hearing) told the council that recent guidance from the state staff counsel requires certain known expenses ' including direct-appeal attorney fees, transcripts and investigative support ' to be paid from the general fund rather than the supplemental account. He presented…