The Marshall County Public Defender Board voted to approve contracts for attorneys who applied to serve as court‑appointed public defenders and discussed the budget, administrative role and next steps for launching a countywide public defender department.

Brandon Shattuck, a member of the board, told attendees the board had reviewed contracts prepared with input from County Attorney Sean Cirici and listed applicants including Paul Stanco, Christopher Bridal, June Buells, Adrian Aylano, Alexander Hoover and Mark Morrison; board members approved the contracts after a motion and voice vote (“All in favor, say aye.” “Aye.” “The motion carries.”). Shattuck said Mark Morrison will also handle non‑reimbursable cases under a separate contract.

The board also confirmed that Mackenzie Breitenstein was contracted as the department administrator beginning retroactively in December so she could complete setup work before the program’s January start date. “Mackenzie Breitenstein will be that point person who will be handling all of that, and therefore, the public defenders are an independent entity from the Marshall County courts,” said Judge Tammy Napier of Marshall Superior Court 1, describing the administrator’s role in receiving referrals, performing conflict checks and tracking a weighted caseload under guidance from the Indiana State Public Defender Commission.

Shattuck read proposed additional appropriations the board plans to forward to the county council in early January: expert witness $2,000; public defender training $3,000; public defender salaries and related costs $576,240; administrative services $30,000; court interpreter $12,000; an additional interpreter line $3,000; conflict (hourly, non‑refundable) $35,000; transcripts $20,000 (corrected from $2,000); and psychiatrist $10,000. Shattuck said funds will be transferred into a new public defender fund the county commissioners approved and that state reimbursement — described during the meeting as approximately 40% — will offset some costs.

Board members raised concerns about timely attorney access for incarcerated people after a member reported hearing that some inmates “don’t see their lawyers for 6 months.” Judges and Breitenstein responded that such delays would be unacceptable and recommended verifying attorney visit records with the Marshall County Jail. Napier suggested requesting visitation logs by attorney so the board could track compliance; Breitenstein said her office will log appointments and track caseloads in real time and that the system generates an assignment notice that instructs an attorney to contact a client within three days of appointment.

Breitenstein described the county’s planned workflow: once a judge enters an order appointing a public defender, the order is sent to her office; staff enter the case into a database that automatically emails the appointed attorney with cause number and client information and asks them to make initial contact within three days. She said her office will monitor caseloads and report to the board so contracts can be adjusted or positions re‑advertised if necessary.

The board discussed logistical next steps: executing signature pages (two signatures would execute contracts initially, with other signatures to follow in the auditor’s office), setting up county email and portal access for the administrator, and producing contact cards for courts to provide to people at hearings. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn passed by voice vote.

The board did not vote on specific appropriation transfers during the meeting; Shattuck said the appropriation requests will come before the county council at its next meetings in January and that contracts will be executed once signatures are collected.