Senate finance committee hears that restored public defender funding would cut contractor use to conflict cases

The Senate Finance Committee heard questions about funding for the state Public Defender Program and whether restored positions would eliminate use of private contractors, with Judicial Council officials telling senators the money would let public defenders reopen courts but would not remove the legal need for outside counsel in conflict cases.

The committee’s executive director introduced the Judicial Council’s representatives and the incoming and outgoing directors of the Public Defender Program before senators asked whether restored positions would replace contractors. The Judicial Council executive director said, “With the…