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Public defender office reports staffing shift to full-time attorneys; House Bill 96 will change reimbursement and audit requirements
Summary
The public defender's office says it is reducing contract attorneys in favor of full-time assistant public defenders and has added a social work assistant; staff warned that House Bill 96 sets a statewide cost-projection form (due July 1, 2026) and an auditor performance audit of indigent defense delivery models, and the state reimbursement rate is currently expected at 82%.
Laura Brzonski, director of the Trumbull County public defender's office, updated commissioners Jan. 28 on staffing and contract plans and described how recent state budget changes affect county indigent defense funding.
Brzonski said the office has reduced the number of contract attorneys from about 24 and hired two full-time assistant public defenders; the office also created a new social work assistant position to develop a social-work program. "We have hired two…
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